Combine Pressers: Cards, Browns, Seahawks
The media availability portion of the NFL’s 2015 scouting combine rolls on today, with press conferences for 20 head coaches and general managers on today’s schedule. Here’s a recap of the noteworthy comments made during a few of this morning’s early pressers, with all links pointed toward the Twitter accounts of reporters in attendance:
Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians:
- Asked about suspended linebacker Daryl Washington, Arians indicated that he doesn’t consider Washington a part of the team until he’s reinstated by the league. “I don’t even think about him,” the head coach said.
- The Cardinals would like to re-sign Antonio Cromartie, but the team expects the cornerback to reach the open market, according to Arians. That wouldn’t necessarily preclude a return to Arizona, but it sounds like a reasonable bet that Cromartie will land elsewhere.
- In Arians’ view, defensive speed is one area the Cardinals need to improve, especially at linebacker.
- The Cardinals are happy with their current offensive tackles, but Arians acknowledged that the interior line positions could use some work — he hopes to have some competition at those spots this year.
Browns general manager Ray Farmer:
- Before taking questions, Farmer admitted his role in the ‘Textgate’ controversy surrounding the Browns, apologizing to the organization and to fans for the incident.
- The GM admitted that he and the Browns understood the red flags on Johnny Manziel prior to the 2014 draft, and take responsibility for selecting him in spite of those warning signs.
- Echoing what head coach Mike Pettine said yesterday, Farmer indicated that “every option is on the table” for the Browns as they try to find a long-term solution at quarterback. That includes free agency, the draft, and even potential trades.
- Farmer also didn’t rule out the possibility of trading up in the draft for a signal-caller, adding that he has done a cost-benefit analysis on such a move.
Seahawks general manager John Schneider:
- Asked about Marshawn Lynch, Schneider said that he has “talked to his people” and let them know the team wants a decision soon. The GM admitted that he wouldn’t be shocked if the running back does decide to retire.
- The Seahawks don’t have a set timeline for getting a new contract worked out with Russell Wilson, but extension discussions are underway, per Schneider.
- The Seahawks GM didn’t sound overly optimistic about the club’s chances to re-sign cornerback Byron Maxwell. Although Seattle wants to bring him back, Maxwell’s “market will be strong,” said Schneider.
Cards Add Larry Foote To Coaching Staff
Veteran linebacker Larry Foote was a key piece of the Cardinals’ defense in 2014, and while he’ll contribute to the unit again in 2015, it may be as a coach rather than as a player. According to Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (via Twitter), Arizona is adding Foote to its coaching staff. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s officially retiring as a player — Marvez adds that Foote will have to decide before the 75-man roster cutdown in August whether or not he wants to play.
Foote, 34, spent all but one season of his NFL career with the Steelers prior to the 2014 campaign, having played briefly for the Lions in 2009. However, heading to Arizona to play for the Cardinals seemed like a natural fit for the Michigan product, since it reunited him with ex-Steelers assistant Bruce Arians. When injuries and a year-long suspension for Daryl Washington decimated the Cardinals’ linebacking corps, Foote gamely stepped up and played more than 1,000 snaps for the club, recording 88 tackles and a pair of sacks.
Still, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Foote 56th out of 60 qualified inside linebackers, and the longtime Steeler will turn 35 in June, so he may decide he doesn’t have any more football left in him. If that’s the case, Foote will end an impressive career with 807 total tackles, 25 sacks, and 10 forced fumbles in 187 contests (134 starts).
If Foote decides to continue his career, he would have to sign a new contract with the Cards, since he’s currently set to become a free agent. Arians also notes that the former fourth-round pick would have to give up his role as a coach in that scenario, since the NFLPA wouldn’t allow him to be a player and coach (Twitter link via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com).
Rams Allow Sam Bradford To Seek Trade?
THURSDAY, 8:47am: In his full story on the Bradford situation, Thomas clarifies that the Rams have told agent Tom Condon that if he wants to check around to see if there’s a market for Bradford, he can do so. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the Rams would be willing to make a trade.
WEDNESDAY, 3:04pm: Snead “emphatically denies” that Bradford is being allowed to explore trade possibilities, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, adding that the GM said today that the Rams aren’t “deleting” the quarterback from their roster. Regardless of whether St. Louis is considering trading Bradford, or whether his agent is looking into the possibility, a deal seems unlikely, as I noted below.
1:36pm: The Rams have given quarterback Sam Bradford permission to seek a trade, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). As La Canfora notes, given Bradford’s contract situation and his injury history, finding compensation to the Rams’ liking may be difficult, but the QB’s agent has been given the go-ahead to speak to other teams.
While the Rams have said both publicly and privately that they’d like to bring back Bradford for at least one more season, it appears the front office is intent on finding a solution that benefits both the player and the club. La Canfora notes (via Twitter) that the most likely scenario may still be the Rams working out a restructured contract with the former first overall pick, but that has been a “slow process” so far. Still, discussions on that front are at least underway, GM Les Snead confirmed today (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com).
This year’s group of available quarterbacks is weak – both in free agency and in the draft – and there are plenty of teams looking to add a veteran signal-caller, so there may be a market for Bradford. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report also recently reported that some clubs may be more comfortable adding Bradford than a rookie like Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota. Still, La Canfora tweets that there’s probably no other team that values Bradford more than the Rams do, and the 27-year-old’s contract also makes a deal tricky.
Entering the final year of his rookie pact, Bradford is on the Rams’ books for a $16.58MM cap number, and a $12.985MM base salary. Whether Bradford sticks in St. Louis or joins a new club, it will likely require slashing those numbers to accommodate him. The Oklahoma product is also coming off back-to-back seasons lost to ACL injuries, so any club interested in acquiring him would have to be certain that he’s on his way back to full health.
West Notes: Davis, 49ers, Knighton, Chargers
Vernon Davis is coming off his worst season as a pro, and will count for nearly $7MM against the cap in 2015, but he’ll “absolutely” be returning to the 49ers, general manager Trent Baalke said on Wednesday at the combine, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Referring to Davis’ contract and cap hit, Baalke suggested that the numbers are “not as daunting as you may think.”
Let’s round up a few more notes on the Niners and a handful of other West clubs….
- The 49ers‘ wide receiver coaches are among the few San Francisco assistants in Indianapolis, which presumably indicates where the team’s offseason priority lies, tweets Barrows.
- Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton has “made it very clear” to team management that he wants to return to Denver and would be willing to take something of a hometown discount to make it happen. However, as he tells Josina Anderson of ESPN, Knighton doesn’t feel as if that interest is totally mutual. “To be quite honest with you, it’s frustrating and it’s somewhat disrespectful just knowing how important I was to the team and what the defense could’ve been without somebody like me,” Knighton said. “It’s almost like, the longer they wait, the worse it is going to be.”
- Broncos GM John Elway hasn’t heard back from Peyton Manning on his decision for 2015 but he “had a good talk” with the quarterback and said that he’s feeling better, says Mike Klis of The Denver Post.
- The Chargers intend to have extension discussions with quarterback Philip Rivers and safety Eric Weddle at the “appropriate time,” according to GM Tom Telesco, but those negotiations aren’t on the team’s agenda for this week, per Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
- With a new contract from the Cardinals in hand, Larry Fitzgerald will almost assuredly start and end his career in the same place, a rarity for NFL legends, as Dan Bickley of The Arizona Republic writes. The new deal is quite fair to Fitzgerald, Bickley opines, as the $22MM guaranteed for the next two seasons was arguably $6MM more than he would have found on the open market.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
East Notes: Cowboys, Callahan, Tannehill
Speaking to the media in Indianapolis on Wednesday, Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett referred to Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray as “cornerstone players,” and said he loves them and wants both players back in Dallas. Addressing Murray specifically, Garrett added that “both sides are talking.” However, he also cautioned that “the business of the NFL is real” (three Twitter links via Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, and ESPN’s Josina Anderson).
Here’s more from out of the NFL’s two East divisions:
- New Washington offensive line coach Bill Callahan tells Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter link) that there were offensive coordinator opportunities available for him last month, but he opted for the job in D.C. instead. I would guess that either Callahan didn’t think he’d be a frontrunner for those offensive coordinator positions, or Washington just made it very much worth his while not to explore those opportunities.
- Restructuring Tony Romo’s contract will backfire at some point, but it’s a worthwhile gamble for Cowboys, Bob Sturm of The Dallas Morning News opines. There’s “no doubt” in Sturm’s mind that they will push a lot of the quarterback’s 2015 money into 2016.
- Quarterback salaries are what they are, Dolphins GM Dennis Hickey acknowledged on Wednesday while speaking to reporters, including Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, adding that his team feels comfortable investing in Ryan Tannehill as its QB of the future.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Wednesday
“Everything happens for a reason. My man [Brandon Bostick] is coming to my hood. Great landing spot, in my backyard, the best is yet to come my man!” tweets Minneapolis-based agent Blake Baratz, suggesting that the former Packers tight end has landed with the Vikings.
Ben Goessling of ESPN.com confirms (via Twitter) that Bostick didn’t even reach the open market, as the Vikings claimed him off waivers, allowing the player who mishandled a key onside kick in this year’s NFC Championship game to get a chance for a fresh start with one of Green Bay’s division rivals. The Packers officially announced yesterday that they had parted ways with Bostick.
Here are more Wednesday minor moves from around the NFL, with any new transactions added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- Howard University quarterback Greg McGhee has opted to bypass the NFL draft process and sign with the CFL’s BC Lions, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The former MEAC offensive player of the year will join up with Jeff Tedford when he goes north of the border.
- Defensive back Varmah Sonie, who joined the Buccaneers’ practice squad for the final couple weeks of the 2014 season, has signed with the Browns, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Prior to signing with Tampa Bay in December, Sonie played for Portland’s Arena League team.
Rams Rumors: Bradford, Hill, Long, Barksdale
One of the more notable news items to come out of the first full-fledged day of media availability at the combine in Indianapolis was a report from Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com indicating that the Rams were allowing Sam Bradford to seek out a potential trade. General manager Les Snead disputed that report, but whether or not it’s true, a deal involving Bradford appears unlikely. Given his contract situation and his injury history, Bradford’s best bet may be agreeing to a pay cut to remain in St. Louis, where it looks like he’ll have a good chance to re-assume the starting QB job for the Rams.
Here’s more on the NFC West squad:
- While the Rams and Bradford’s agents don’t have a meeting scheduled for this week in Indianapolis, the two sides will at least talk over the phone, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- St. Louis does have at least one meeting with a quarterback’s agent set up for this week, according to Thomas, who reports (via Twitter) that the club will meet with the rep for free-agent-to-be Shaun Hill.
- Offensive tackle Jake Long, who missed the second half of the 2014 season with a torn ACL, has a $10.5MM cap number for 2015, and the Rams have begun discussions about possibly lowering that number, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Long, a former first overall pick, figures to move to a different position if he returns to the Rams in 2015, since last year’s first-rounder, Greg Robinson, appears poised to take over left tackle on a full-time basis (Twitter link via Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald).
- Speaking of offensive tackles, Snead said that Joe Barksdale is among the players who are expected to test the free agent market next month, tweets Wagoner. If Barksdale signs elsewhere, that would open up the right tackle spot for Long, assuming he has recovered from his knee injury in time for the 2015 season.
Ryan Clark To Retire As Steeler
Veteran safety Ryan Clark announced his retirement from the NFL today on ESPN NFL Live, per Scott Brown of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Although Clark spent the 2014 season in Washington, he will retire as a Steeler, having played the majority of his 13-year career in Pittsburgh. He’ll also join ESPN as an analyst, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post.
Clark, 35, went undrafted out of LSU, but caught on with the Giants back in 2002, and then spent time with Washington as well before finding a more permanent home in Pittsburgh. Clark was a cornerstone member of the Steelers’ defense from 2006 to 2013, starting at safety alongside Troy Polamalu. While Clark was perhaps overshadowed in the Steelers’ secondary by Polamalu, he earned a Pro Bowl berth of his own in 2011, and finished his stint in Pittsburgh with three consecutive seasons of 100+ tackles.
For his career, Clark played 177 games (152 starts), racking up 928 total tackles, 55 passes defended, and 16 interceptions. He was also a member of the 2008 Steelers team that won the Super Bowl over Kurt Warner and the Cardinals.
The last update we heard on Clark came at the end of the regular season, when it sounded as if a decision from the veteran safety on his future was imminent. Dianna Marie Russini of NBC4 suggested at the time that the longtime Steeler may just sign the necessary retirement papers rather than making a big announcement, but presumably the fact that he’s joining ESPN required him to publicly confirm his decision.
Browns Notes: Manziel, Hoyer, Cameron, Skrine
In one of the last media sessions of the day at the combine in Indianapolis, Browns head coach Mike Pettine spoke to reporters this afternoon and addressed a number of topics related to the team’s eventful offseason. Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com, and Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle passed along a few of Pettine’s noteworthy quotes, via Twitter, so let’s round up the highlights….
- Pettine stressed that the Browns have not given up on Johnny Manziel at all. In fact, the head coach visited Manziel last week at his rehab facility and “let him know we’re proud of him.” Pettine believes the young quarterback will make major strides under new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo and quarterbacks coach Kevin O’Connell.
- While Pettine and the Browns are optimistic about Manziel’s recovery and his future, they will approach free agency and the draft as if they need to find a new starting quarterback, since there are too many unknowns with last year’s first-round pick.
- One possibility for the Browns is Josh McCown, and Pettine confirmed that he’s under consideration, though no meeting or visit has been scheduled yet. The head coach added that the door hasn’t closed on re-signing Brian Hoyer, but that the Browns are weighing all their options.
- Asked about the possibility of re-signing tight end Jordan Cameron, Pettine said the possibility has been discussed, but it would have to be for the “right price.”
- The Browns are making an effort to re-sign cornerback Buster Skrine.
- Discussing the hiring of O’Connell, Pettine said the Browns thought they were doing the right thing by letting him finish his work with Marcus Mariota. Although the team has been said to have interest in Mariota, Cleveland’s new QB coach didn’t teach the Oregon signal-caller the club’s playbook, since he doesn’t know it himself yet, according to Pettine.
- Pettine “wasn’t thrilled” about Ray Farmer‘s role in ‘Textgate‘ but still feels good about his relationship with the general manager. As for owner Jimmy Haslam, Pettine disputed the notion that Haslam is meddlesome, or that he involved himself in decisions about draft picks or playing time.
- The NFLPA’s grievance on behalf of Josh Gordon contends that the wideout wasn’t notified or fined for being late to meetings before he was suspended for it. However, Pettine said today that he did fine Gordon for his tardies prior to the suspension.
Jets Met With Josh McCown At Combine
We can add the Jets to the list of potential suitors for free agent quarterback Josh McCown. Per Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter), new general manager Mike Maccagnan confirmed that he met with McCown in Indianapolis today, joining the Bills, Browns, and Bears as teams with interest in the former Buccaneer. Head coach Todd Bowles had said during his press conference this afternoon that it’s “possible” the Jets will add a veteran QB to their roster this offseason, and McCown would certainly fit that bill.
Here are several more highlights from Maccagnan’s and Bowles’ conversations with reporters today, with all links going to the Twitter accounts for various scribes in Indy, including Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com:
- While a veteran is one possibility, a rookie quarterback is also on the table for the Jets, and Maccagnan confirmed today that the team will meet with both Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota at the combine.
- Bowles was noncommittal about Geno Smith as New York’s starter, suggesting that he wanted to sit down and talk to Smith before making any decisions. The new head coach didn’t commit one way or the other to Percy Harvin either, telling reporters that the team is still evaluating the situation. Maccagnan said that the Jets will meet with Harvin’s agent at the combine, and hinted that they may ask the wideout to rework his deal.
- Maccagnan, who said last month that he anticipates the Jets being “very active” in free agency, took that a step further today, suggesting that the club will potentially be in on one or more big-money players.
- Both Bowles and Maccagnan expressed interest in re-signing linebacker David Harris, who is eligible to reach the open market next month.
- Asked about positions of need, the new general manager unsurprisingly singled out the cornerback spot as an offseason priority.