Dennis Pitta Plans To Continue NFL Career
9:51am: Pitta is expected to remain with the Ravens, and the two sides should agree to a restructured contract soon, perhaps as early as today, sources tell Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
8:12am: After consulting with doctors this offseason, Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta has decided to continue his NFL career, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter). There had been some uncertainty about whether Pitta, who has undergone multiple surgeries to address hip issues, would ever be able to get back on the field.
Back in February, Pitta said he “definitely” wanted to play again, but cautioned that he would rely heavily on the advice of medical professionals before making any final decision. The veteran tight end was advised by doctors last November that he could not take the field in the 2015 season. Although Pitta hoped to return anyway, Ravens officials and the coaching staff urged him to follow the advice of those doctors, to avoid risking re-injury.
Assuming Pitta is determined to see his comeback attempt through, it will be interesting to see how the Ravens handle the situation. The 30-year-old is owed a $5MM base salary this season and has an overall cap hit of $7.2MM. However, that salary is non-guaranteed, so Baltimore could create $5MM in cap savings by cutting him after June 1st.
Still, I suspect that the Ravens would prefer Pitta makes his comeback attempt in Baltimore rather than elsewhere, given that the team has observed first-hand the struggle he has gone through in recent years. So perhaps the two sides will be able to agree to reworked contract that significantly reduces that cap number and allows Pitta the opportunity to earn back some of the money via playing-time and/or performance incentives.
A former fourth-round pick, Pitta had his best season in 2012, when he set career-highs with 61 receptions, 669 yards, and seven touchdowns. He has not seen game action since September of 2014.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
West Notes: A. Davis, Chargers, Cardinals
In his MMQB column this week, Peter King noted that one source believes the 49ers “want to trade” veteran offensive tackle Anthony Davis, who remains on the reserve/retired list for now. Davis took to Twitter to let his followers know that GM Trent Baalke sent him a text message calling King’s tidbit “false reporting.”
What to make of King’s report and Baalke’s response (via Davis)? For what it’s worth, King presented the info as something that one high-ranking team executive believed, rather than something King himself was formally reporting. Still, it’s unlikely that the team exec simply invented the notion that Davis might be on the trade block. It’s possible that Baalke and the Niners have sent out feelers without explicitly shopping their offensive tackle, attempting to get a sense of their options.
As we wait for further developments on the Davis situation, let’s round up some more items from out of the NFL’s West divisions…
- The Chargers, who hold the third overall pick in this month’s draft, hosted Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil for a visit today, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Tunsil is considered by many experts the top prospect in this year’s draft class, so he may not be on the board at No. 3, but San Diego is doing its homework just in case.
- Ole Miss defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, who is in Pittsburgh today, is scheduled to visit the Chargers next, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- After playing for the Cardinals for 12 seasons, longtime safety Adrian Wilson is now a part of the team in another capacity. According to a press release, Wilson has joined Arizona’s personnel department as a full-time scout.
QB Rumors: Cook, Goff, Wentz, Manziel
After spending the last week “sniffing around on the situation,” Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com is more convinced than ever that Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook will come off the board earlier than expected in this year’s draft.
While other quarterbacks, such as Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, and Paxton Lynch, are being discussed more frequently in media circles, La Canfora suspects that a few NFL teams are hoping Cook flies under the radar.
According to La Canfora, at least one club is considering moving up from the second round to late in the first round to take Cook, if he’s available, and several teams have him rated as the second-best quarterback on their boards.
“We like the kid a lot,” said an executive from one team that has Cook second on its draft board. “We don’t think there is a whole lot separating some of these quarterbacks and Cook is the most ready to play. Goff, look at his tape against Utah, it’s not pretty. And Wentz, there is a lot to like there, but he needs to go somewhere and sit for a year or two and develop.”
Cook will have a busy schedule this week, according to La Canfora, who writes that the QB is visiting the Cowboys, Dolphins, Broncos, and 49ers. Cook will also visit the Jets and Bears, and work out for the Rams. He has previously visited the Ravens and Bills, and met with the Browns.
Here are a few more updates on quarterbacks who are seeking NFL jobs:
- Jared Goff and Carson Wentz will be in Santa Clara this week to meet with the 49ers, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. San Francisco holds the No. 7 overall pick and is believed to be in the market for a quarterback.
- In addition to meeting with San Francisco, Goff will visit the Saints, Eagles, and Jets in the coming days, tweets Michael Silver of the NFL Network. Unless Goff slips a little in the draft, at least two of those clubs would likely have to trade up to have a chance to land the Cal QB, so the fact that he’s meeting with those teams is interesting.
- Wentz and Paxton Lynch, like Goff, will be visiting the Eagles this week, says Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
- Penn State signal-caller Christian Hackenberg is among the quarterbacks meeting with the Jets this week, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- Although Johnny Manziel told TMZ over the weekend that he’s living with Von Miller in Los Angeles, sources tell ESPN that Manziel is actually living with Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon. While it’s entirely possible that Manziel and Gordon are helping one another to stay out of trouble and get back on the field, the arrangement may not look great to potential Manziel suitors, or – in Gordon’s case – to the league office. It probably also didn’t improve Manziel’s odds of landing a job that he told TMZ that he had been out in West Hollywood five or six nights in a row, adding that he doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with “partying.”
Draft Updates: Higbee, Titans, Byard, Reed
One of the top tight end prospects in this year’s draft, Tyler Higbee was charged with second-degree assault, alcohol intoxication in a public place, and second-degree fleeing or evading police on Sunday, Zach Greenwell of the Bowling Green Daily News reports.
The 23-year-old Western Kentucky product was considered a potential Day 2 pick, but these charges will undoubtedly cloud his draft weekend. Higbee caught 48 passes for 563 yards and eight touchdowns last season but missed five games due to a knee injury that he told reporters at his pro day was 75-80% healed.
Here are a few more Monday draft updates:
- Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil and Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa are among the standout prospects visiting the Titans this week, tweets Jason Wolf of the Tennessean. The Titans are believed to like Bosa, but Tunsil remains the odds-on favorite to come off the board first overall if the club keeps its pick.
- West Virginia cornerback Daryl Worley has made pre-draft visits to the Eagles and Cardinals, and has private workouts for the Panthers, Lions, and Jaguars, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
- After a busy few days last week, Middle Tennessee State defensive back Kevin Byard will be on the move again this week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that Byard will be visiting the Cardinals today and the Rams tomorrow, followed by the Saints and Bengals.
- In addition to making previously-reported visits to the Panthers, Lions, and Saints this week, Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed will also make trips to meet with the Bills and Bears, tweets Rapoport.
- UCLA wide receiver and return man Devin Fuller has several visits and workouts left on his schedule, tweets Rand Getlin of the NFL Network. Per Getlin, the Dolphins, Packers, and Chargers are among the teams that will get a close look at Fuller.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Vikings Re-Sign Chad Greenway
APRIL 11, 12:14pm: More than a week and a half after the two sides agreed to terms, the Vikings have announced Greenway’s new deal, via a press release.
MARCH 31, 4:25pm: It appears that the deal has been agreed to. Greenway took to Twitter minutes ago with the following message for his fans:
“Nobody is more excited than me to help lead this team one more time! Dream achieved, going out a Viking!”
It’s a one-year deal, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter).
12:48pm: The Vikings are close to a new deal with linebacker Chad Greenway, and it should be done soon, tweets Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. Alex Marvez of FOX Sports first reported (via Twitter) that a deal between the two sides is imminent, and will be completed as early as tomorrow.
Greenway announced his plan to play for one more season shortly after the Vikings’ Wild Card loss in January, and his intention all along had been to sign with Minnesota. While he reportedly received some interest from rival suitors, it appears that he and the Vikes will work something out after all.
Greenway, 33, has spent his entire NFL career with the Vikings, initially joining the team as a first-round pick back in 2006. The two-time Pro Bowler started 12 of 16 regular-season contests in 2015, recording 69 tackles and 2.5 sacks to go along with an interception, which he returned 91 yards for a touchdown.
The Vikings added Emmanuel Lamur in free agency earlier this month, so it remains to be seen exactly how the team’s linebacker situation will play out. Greenway may no longer be an every-down player, but the team figures to use him in a way that maximizes his strengths — Pro Football Focus graded him very poorly as a run defender in 2015, but he was solid in pass coverage.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
No Suspension Expected For LeSean McCoy
A lengthy investigation into a nightclub altercation involving LeSean McCoy ended last week, with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office announcing that no charges would be filed against the Bills running back or anyone else involved in the incident, due to “insufficient evidence.”
Although McCoy won’t face any criminal charges as a result of the February incident, that didn’t necessarily take him off the hook with the NFL, since the league can conduct its own investigation and hand out discipline accordingly. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that McCoy is not expected to face any discipline from the NFL. That’s not set in stone – the league’s investigation is ongoing – but for now things look good for the veteran back.
McCoy, who earned a Pro Bowl nod during his first season with the Bills in 2015, was at a Philadelphia nightclub in February when he and three of his companions fought with at least two off-duty police officers. As a result of the altercation, the Bills had been planning as if they would be without their standout running back to start the season, but it seems that the lack of evidence which resulted in the D.A. not pressing charges will also prompt the NFL to decide against a suspension.
Although McCoy had a strong first season in Buffalo, racking up 1,187 total yards from scrimmage in 12 games, the team still managed to get its rushing attack going when he was forced out of action due to injuries. First-year back Karlos Williams averaged an impressive 5.6 yards per carry on 93 attempts, and would take on a larger role early in the 2016 season if the NFL unexpectedly changes course and suspends McCoy.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
King’s Latest: Browns, 49ers, A. Davis, Titans
Within his latest Monday Morning Quarterback column, Peter King of TheMMQB.com passes along several noteworthy tidbits, primarily related to the upcoming draft. Let’s dive right in and round up the highlights….
- King spoke to 10 high-ranking team officials around the league about the draft, and one of them is convinced that the Browns prefer Jared Goff to Carson Wentz, despite the fact that most chatter up until this point has the team favoring Wentz. “It’s definitely Goff. Believe it,” King’s source said.
- One source tells King that the 49ers “want to trade” veteran offensive tackle Anthony Davis, who hasn’t yet been reinstated, and safety Antoine Bethea, who has the team’s sixth-highest cap hit ($6.025MM). The Davis situation is an interesting one, since there’s a belief that he wants to regain bonus money he forfeited last year when he temporarily “retired” — if the 49ers were to trade him, a new team might be willing to rework his contract. Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap examined that situation earlier this month.
- One personnel man told King that the Titans have a “definite solid offer” for the No. 1 overall pick, but it would probably have to be sweetened for Tennessee to consider moving down a few spots. “But no team’s going to do three ones, the way Washington did for [Robert Griffin III],” an evaluator said. “No player in this draft is worth that.”
- The general consensus among execs around the league is that there won’t be much difference between picks from the middle of the first round to the middle of the second. “Eleven to 40 is the same guy,” said one evaluator, while another conveyed a similar sentiment: “To us, 18 to 48 you can get the same player.”
- Just about everyone remains bullish on the depth at defensive tackle in this year’s draft. One of King’s source offered this observation on the DT class: “The defensive tackle crop’s so good it’ll push some deserving players into the second round. The depth is so good that you’ll get some guys you can use right away in the third and fourth.”
Bengals Extend Marvin Lewis Through 2017
MONDAY, 8:40am: The Bengals have officially announced Lewis’ new one-year extension, via the club’s website.
FRIDAY, 4:57pm: The Bengals have tacked another year onto Marvin Lewis‘ contract, according to Michael Silver of the NFL Network, who reports (via Twitter) that Lewis has agreed to a one-year extension, which will keep him under team control through the 2017 season.
Lewis, who has been coaching the Bengals since 2003, is the second longest-tenured head coach in the NFL, behind Bill Belichick in New England. During his 13 seasons with the team, Lewis has led Cincinnati to a 112-94-2 regular-season record and has earned a playoff spot seven times. However, the Bengals have yet to win a postseason game under Lewis, going 0-7 in those contests.
Asked at last month’s owners meetings about the possibility of extending Lewis’ contract beyond the 2016 season, Bengals owner Mike Brown was somewhat noncommittal. “He’s going to be our coach this year. That’s in the bank,” Brown said, per Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “Where it goes, we’ll see how it plays out.”
Of course, Brown’s lack of an enthusiastic vote of long-term confidence for Lewis doesn’t mean the head coach is or isn’t on the hot seat entering 2016, and neither does the fact that his new deal is just for one year. Last April around this time, Lewis received a similar one-year extension, as he and the Bengals have made a habit out of working out short-term contracts that keep him from entering a season as a “lame duck.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Mike DeVito Announces Retirement
Veteran defensive lineman Mike DeVito has decided to call it a career after nine NFL seasons. DeVito made the announcement in a story for The Drive, going into some detail about his own history with football, including the years before he became an NFL player.
“I want to thank the New York Jets, the Kansas City Chiefs and all the amazing people I have met throughout my career,” DeVito wrote at the end of his piece. “To all my family, friends, and fans, thank you for making an average player feel like a Hall of Famer. And to the game of football, thank you for the past 18 years, all the memories, and the lessons that will continue to serve me for the rest of my life.”
An undrafted free agent out of Maine, DeVito caught on with the Jets for the 2007 season, and ultimately played 82 regular season games (38 starts) for Gang Green over the next six seasons.
The veteran defender joined the Chiefs in 2013, and has spent the last three years in Kansas City. In 2015, he established a new career high by picking up three sacks in a part-time role. For his career, he totaled 110 regular season games (57 starts) and played in another nine postseason games, including two this year with the Chiefs.
DeVito, who turns 32 in June, had seen his contract with the Chiefs expire last month, so his decision to retire won’t have an impact on Kansas City’s cap. And if he does have a change of heart at any point, DeVito would be free to sign with any team.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Packers Waive Nate Palmer
SATURDAY, 8:55am: The move is official, according to the team’s website.
FRIDAY, 4:07pm: The Packers have parted ways with a player who started 10 games for them last season, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who tweets that the team has cut inside linebacker Nate Palmer. Because he has less than four years of service time, Palmer will have to pass through waivers before he becomes a free agent.
Palmer, a sixth-round pick in 2013, saw a little playing time during his rookie season before spending the entire 2014 campaign on the injured reserve list. In 2015, he earned a starting job at inside linebacker, but ultimately ceded playing time to rookie Jake Ryan before the year was over. In 16 games (10 starts) last season, Palmer compiled 64 tackles, a sacks, and a pair of passes defended.
In spite of their willingness to let go of Palmer, the Packers aren’t particularly deep at inside linebacker, having frequently used Clay Matthews there, rather than at his natural outside linebacker spot, in recent years. Although Ryan, Sam Barrington, Joe Thomas Jr., and others will be in the mix for playing time at ILB for the Packers, the team figures to address the position at some point in the draft.
By cutting Palmer, Green Bay will reduce his cap number from about $700K to just $25K in dead money.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.