HEADLINES

Author: Luke Adams

AFC Notes: Fitzpatrick, Conklin, Wake, Texans

May 11th, 2016 at 8:53am CST by Luke Adams

Several Jets players – two current and one former – have weighed in on the Ryan Fitzpatrick situation this week, including wide receivers Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall. As Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes, Decker continues to believe Fitzpatrick is the right man for the starting job in New York, suggesting that Gang Green is “a team that’s ready to win now,” and one that requires a “veteran presence” at the QB position.

Marshall, on the other hand, sounds more willing to accept the possibility that Fitzpatrick may not be back, telling Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post that the Jets would survive with Bryce Petty or Geno Smith at QB: “Just seeing Bryce and Geno grow so much the last year is really encouraging, and I’m just proud of those guys. We’ll be OK.”

Meanwhile, former Jets linebacker Bart Scott has been less tactful about his opinion on the matter, as Brian Costello of the New York Post details. During an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Scott said that Fitzpatrick isn’t worth the money he’s seeking, suggesting he’s more of “a bridge guy,” who would be a backup for “20 teams in the league.”

As we wait to see whether the Fitzpatrick situation reaches a resolution in the near future, let’s round up some other Wednesday morning notes from around the AFC…

  • While new Titans general manager Jon Robinson may get his team’s draft class secured in a more timely manner than the team has done in the past, Tennessee’s negotiations with first-round tackle Jack Conklin are worth watching, writes Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com. In recent years, the Titans have pushed for offset language to be included in their first-rounders’ rookie contracts, and there are indications that trend will continue, according to McCormick.
  • Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake took a pay cut from $8.4MM to $7.125MM for 2016, but can make up the difference if he reaches certain sack incentives, says Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter links). For 2017, Wake has another $7MM due, including $3MM fully guaranteed — he can also earn an extra $2MM in ’17 if he racks up 15 sacks this season, per Pelissero.
  • Peter King of TheMMQB.com takes a look at the Texans‘ approach to free agency and the draft within the last couple months, writing that the team has made it a priority to add speed to its offense. In King’s view, Houston’s offense rivals Jacksonville’s defense when it comes to teams that underwent the most significant changes on one side of the ball.

PFR Social Media Feeds By Team

May 10th, 2016 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ve detailed how you can follow Pro Football Rumors on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or using an RSS reader to ensure that you receive all of our updates, 365 days a year. If you prefer to only receive news about your favorite NFL team, PFR has you covered. Below are links to our Facebook, Twitter, and RSS pages and feeds for all 32 teams.

AFC East

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

NFC West

Transactions only: Twitter / RSS

Draft Pick Signings: Lions, Panthers, Bengals

May 10th, 2016 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

More than 100 of the 253 draftees from this year’s class have already signed their rookie contracts, and several more are making it official with their respective teams today. Here are the latest draft pick signings from around the NFL:

  • The Lions formally announced today that they’ve signed second-round defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson, who was the 46th overall pick. Detroit had previously locked up its other nine draftees, so the team has now secured its entire 10-man draft class, becoming the third club to do so — Atlanta and Seattle have also finished signing their draft picks.
  • The Panthers have signed their third draftee, confirming today that they’ve got third-round cornerback Daryl Worley under contract. Worley’s four-year deal figures to be worth $3.123MM, with a $783K signing bonus, per Over the Cap. Carolina now needs to sign just two more draft picks, including first-round defensive tackle Vernon Butler.
  • Linebacker Nick Vigil, selected 87th overall, has formally signed his rookie contract with the Bengals, according to the team (Twitter link). Third-round picks like Vigil can sometimes take a little longer to sign, as agents and teams discuss cash flow and guaranteed money, but the Utah State product becomes the third Bengals draftee to finalize his rookie deal.

Extra Points: Raiders, Vegas, UDFAs, Haralson

May 10th, 2016 at 1:50pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raiders‘ long-term future remains up in the air, but there have been indications in recent weeks that Las Vegas is becoming a more and more viable landing spot for the franchise. There are still plenty of roadblocks to clear, including getting funding for the proposed Vegas stadium and getting at least 24 NFL owners to approve having a franchise in America’s gambling capital. But Las Vegas mayor Carolyn Goodman is confident that those hurdles can be overcome.

“The Raiders will come if Nevada handles this properly,” Goodman said during an appearance on ESPN Radio’s Capital Games podcast today, as ESPN’s Andy Katz writes. “[Raiders owner] Mark Davis has assured us that Las Vegas is not getting played in a Raiders stadium deal. I know we will have a team.”

While we wait to see if Vegas continues to make progress toward becoming a realistic possibility for Davis and his franchise, let’s round up a few Tuesday odds and ends from around the NFL…

  • In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, draft guru Mel Kiper identifies 30 undrafted free agents to keep an eye on this summer. The Bills, Panthers, Bears, Broncos, Colts, Saints, Jets, 49ers each have two signees on the list, while the Buccaneers have an impressive four of the 30.
  • The drastic pay cut Danny Amendola accepted to remain with the Patriots is the latest example of the significant leverage NFL teams have over players in most contract negotiations, writes Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.
  • The 49ers announced today in a press release that former NFL linebacker Parys Haralson has joined the team as the director of player engagement. Haralson, who last played for the Saints in 2014, spent seven years in San Francisco as a player from 2006 to 2012, and worked out for the Niners last fall after being cut by New Orleans.

Chiefs Sign Four Players, Cut Four

May 10th, 2016 at 12:16pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of their three-day rookie minicamp, the Chiefs have made some changes to their 90-man roster, announcing today (in a pair of Twitter links) that they’ve four players and cut four others.Drew Nowak

The Chiefs have signed defensive back Shannon Edwards and offensive linemen Garrick Mayweather, Drew Nowak, and Zach Sterup, cutting defensive back Jordan Kovacs and offensive linemen Jake Bernstein, Ben Clarke, and Laurence Gibson to open up the necessary roster spots.

Of the incoming players, Nowak is the most notable name. Having been waived last week by the Seahawks, the 26-year-old entered the 2015 season as Seattle’s center, starting seven games at the position before being replaced.

Among the four players cut by Kansas City, Kovacs is the only one with real NFL experience. The ex-Dolphin, who turns 26 next month, appeared in 28 games during his three seasons in Miami, recording 10 total tackles and a sack. When Kovacs saw the field with the Dolphins, it was almost exclusively as a special-teamer.

Outside of Gibson, the rest of the players involved in today’s Chiefs transactions are undrafted free agents. Bernstein and Clarke signed with the club last week, but lost their spots on the 90-man roster to new UDFAs following the rookie minicamp. Edwards, Mayweather, and Sterup played their college ball at Fresno State, Fordham, and Nebraska, respectively.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Notes: M. Gordon, Texans, Dolphins

May 10th, 2016 at 10:32am CST by Luke Adams

For those making the case that running backs are still worthy of being first-round picks in NFL drafts, Todd Gurley‘s rookie season in 2015 is a perfect case study. However, the second running back to come off the board in ’15, Melvin Gordon of the Chargers, didn’t have the same success that Gurley did in his rookie year.

With Gordon looking to bounce back from his poor NFL debut, the Chargers running back underwent microfracture surgery on his knee in January, and was given a recovery timetable of four to six months, sources tell Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Although the concept of microfracture surgery is ominous, there doesn’t appear to be any serious concern about Gordon’s short- or long-term recovery, says Gehlken. The 23-year-old is expected to practice without limitations during – or before – training camp in July, as he looks to improve his production in his sophomore season.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • With run-stopping defensive end Jared Crick having left the Texans in free agency, signing a deal with Denver, there’s a “huge vacancy” at his position, writes Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Wilson examines the candidates to step in for Crick at defensive end in Houston, including both in-house and outside options.
  • Dolphins sources are concerned that the team’s defense is not built to handle the team’s up-tempo offense, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). In instances when Miami’s offense sputters, the team’s D will be forced back on to the field quickly, and some Dolphins people are concerned that aging vets like Ndamukong Suh, Cameron Wake, and Mario Williams may not be able to keep up.
  • Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald provides an update on the progress being made by the Dolphins as they attempt to lock up their entire draft class to rookie contracts.
  • In the view of ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, the Bills and Patriots had solid offseasons, while their division rivals – the Dolphins and Jets – weren’t quite as successful over the last few months. Barnwell assigned B grades to Buffalo and New England, with Miami receiving a D+ and Gang Green getting a D.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Raiders Sign Karl Joseph

May 10th, 2016 at 8:43am CST by Luke Adams

Another 2016 first-round pick has signed his rookie contract, with safety Karl Joseph becoming the latest to put pen to paper. The Raiders announced late Monday night that Joseph has formally signed his four-year deal, which features a fifth-year option for 2020.Karl Joseph

Joseph, who played his college ball at West Virginia, was one of the more surprising picks of the first round. Although he was considered by many observers, including our Rob DiRe, to be the most talented safety in this year’s draft, Joseph was not viewed as a lock to come off the board in the first round, due to the season-ending ACL injury he suffered last season.

The Raiders, however, made Joseph the 14th overall pick last month, which puts him in line for a contract worth about $11.884MM over the next four years, per Over the Cap’s data. That deal features a signing bonus of approximately $6.843MM, and will be worth several million more if the team eventually picks up his option for the 2020 season.

Oakland has now locked up three members of its seven-man draft class, having also confirmed the signings of fourth-round quarterback Connor Cook and seventh-round offensive lineman Vadal Alexander.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Patriots, Danny Amendola Rework Contract

May 10th, 2016 at 8:12am CST by Luke Adams

MAY 10, 8:12am: Ben Volin of the Boston Globe has the details on Amendola’s new-look contract for 2016, which calls for a pay cut from a $5MM base salary to a far more modest $1.25MM salary. Amendola previously could have maxed out at $6MM in 2016 with bonuses and incentives, but now won’t make more than $1.6MM this season. The deal features a $100K signing bonus and up to $250K in per-game roster bonuses for 2016, while the 2017 terms remain unchanged.

MAY 6, 9:57am: Despite some offseason additions at the wide receiver position, the Patriots won’t be parting ways with veteran wideout Danny Amendola, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the two sides have agreed to a reworked contract that will allow Amendola to remain on the roster. It’s a two-year, $7.35MM deal for Amendola, with another $750K available in roster bonuses and catch incentives, per Garafolo.Danny Amendola (vertical)

“It’s an honor to play for this franchise and with this group of guys,” Amendola said in a statement, according to Garafolo. “We have one goal — to win another Championship and that’s all we care about.”

Amendola, who has spent the last three years in New England, enjoyed his best season as a Patriot in 2015, catching 65 balls for 648 yards and three touchdowns in 14 regular season contests. The Texas Tech product added another 57 yards on seven receptions in the postseason.

Despite his solid year though, Amendola was in jeopardy of losing his roster spot due to his rising salary and the incoming additions to the Patriots’ WR depth chart. Within the last two months, the club has added Chris Hogan and Nate Washington in free agency, and used a fourth-round pick on Malcolm Mitchell. The Pats also have Julian Edelman in the mix, and will use tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett frequently in the passing game.

Before agreeing to a restructured contract, Amendola had been set to earn base salaries of $5MM in 2016 and $6MM in 2017, with per-game roster bonuses of up to $500K annually. Those salaries and bonuses were entirely non-guaranteed, so while Amendola’s projected pay for 2016 has decreased, he’ll actually get the opportunity to earn that pay now.

As for his cap hit, we’ll have to wait to see how the new agreement is structured, but the 30-year-old had been set to count for $6.804MM on the Patriots’ books in 2016. That number will now be reduced.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Fitzpatrick, Panthers, Manning

May 9th, 2016 at 8:55pm CST by Luke Adams

As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes, some free agents who haven’t received a ton of interest in recent weeks may see their markets pick up after this Thursday. May 12th will be the first day that free agents no longer count toward the compensatory draft pick formula for 2017, meaning teams can sign veteran players without worrying about potentially losing draft picks next spring.

Of course, players who were released earlier in the offseason never counted toward that comp-pick formula, so guys who fit that bill, such as Roddy White, Antonio Cromartie, and Chris Culliver, won’t be affected. But for someone like Ryan Fitzpatrick, who simple saw his contract expire back in March, it could make a difference — teams could be more willing to make a solid offer if they know it won’t affect their 2017 draft plans.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • Earlier today, a report indicated that the Panthers and standout defensive tackle Kawann Short had begun discussing a contract extension. David Newton of ESPN.com explores what such a deal might be worth, reaching the same conclusion we did: Carolina won’t offer an Ndamukong Suh-type contract, but something that puts him in the second tier of highest-paid DTs wouldn’t be unreasonable.
  • Peyton Manning paid a visit to the Dolphins this offseason, but it wasn’t as a free agent. As Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald details, Manning was in Miami to meet with his former offensive coordinator, Adam Gase, as well as Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, and explained some of the nuances of Gase’s offense to Tannehill. “It was really cool just to be able to sit and pick his brain about things he’s done in this offense and football things in general: snap counts, things you like, the way you want guys to run routes, little details about the game,” Tannehill said. “We really just got to talk the game, which is something we both love.”
  • Browns owner Jimmy Haslam continues to be tied up in civil lawsuits filed against Pilot Flying J, a truck-stop chain owned by him and his brother. An Associated Press report (link via Ohio.com) provides the latest details on Haslam, who has agreed to be deposed “under specific conditions.”
  • The Bears have promoted Mark Sadowski to director of college scouting, replacing Joe Douglas who is leaving for Philadelphia, Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times tweets.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Saints Sign Sheldon Rankins

May 9th, 2016 at 4:05pm CST by Luke Adams

The Saints have secured three of their 2016 draft picks, including their top two selections, general manager Mickey Loomis formally announced today in a press release. In addition to signing first-round defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, second-round wide receiver Michael Thomas, and seventh-round running back Daniel Lasco, the club parted ways with running back Vick Ballard, defensive end Phillip Hunt, and fullback Toben Opurum.Saints general helmet (Featured)

All three veterans cut today by New Orleans have appeared in regular-season NFL games. Ballard notably ran for 814 yards and a pair of touchdowns during the 2012 season, when he served as the Colts’ primary back for most of the year. Hunt, 30, has been a part-time player for the Eagles and Lions in parts of four seasons since 2011, picking up four career sacks. Opurum, meanwhile, appeared in his first two regular-season games for the Saints in 2015.

As for the Saints’ draft pick signings, Rankins’ deal represents the most significant of the three, of course — it’s worth $12.802MM over four years, with a $7.51MM signing bonus and a fifth-year option for 2020. Thomas will receive a signing bonus of $1.923MM on his four-year rookie pact, while Lasco will get a modest $75K bonus.

No NFL team had a smaller 2016 draft class than the Saints, who selected just five players, so New Orleans has now locked up more than half of its draftees.

Load More Posts