Newton Not Interested In Kaepernick Contract Structure
2011’s first-round picks became eligible for contract extensions last offseason, and a handful have already signed new deals, including J.J. Watt, Tyron Smith, and Patrick Peterson. While No. 1 overall pick Cam Newton has yet to re-up with the Panthers, the team has made it clear it views Newton as its franchise quarterback, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. And, as Rapoport tweets, Newton has informed the club that he’s not interested in a contract structured like Colin Kaepernick‘s extension.
Kaepernick’s contract appeared on the surface to be extremely lucrative, with a base value of $114MM and substantial guaranteed money. However, most of those guarantees turned out to be for injury only, leaving the Niners on the hook initially for only about $13MM in fully guaranteed money. That gives San Francisco the opportunity to get out from the pact within a year or two without taking on much dead money, if the team so chooses.
After Andy Dalton signed a similarly structured long-term deal with the Bengals, it became fair to wonder if the next wave of QB extensions would follow the Kaepernick model. However, in my view, those were unique cases, given Kaepernick’s relative lack of starting experience and Dalton’s lack of success in the postseason. Neither player was a first overall pick like Newton or Andrew Luck, and neither player had won a Super Bowl like Russell Wilson, so it stands to reason that those three young signal-callers shouldn’t have to settle for Kaepernick-esque extensions.
According to Rapoport, Matt Ryan‘s contract with the Falcons may serve as a point of comparison for the Panthers and Newton. Ryan’s deal has a smaller overall value than Kaepernick’s, but it’s for one fewer year, and features much more fully guaranteed money — the five-year pact is worth $20.75MM annually, with $42MM guaranteed.
For now, the Panthers have Newton under contract for the 2015 season for a salary and cap number of $14.666MM, after exercising his fifth-year option. The team would also have the opportunity to use its franchise tag on him in 2016, though I’d expect both sides will be interested in working out a more permanent arrangement sooner rather than later, so perhaps negotiations will intensify during the coming offseason.
Bears Chairman Discusses Slow Start
Appearing on Comcast SportsNet’s “Bears Huddle” on Wednesday, Bears chairman George H. McCaskey addressed the team’s underwhelming first half, which sees the club sitting at 3-5, several games back of the Lions and Packers. According to McCarskey, he’s “very disappointed” about how the season has gone so far, but is hopeful that a turnaround is on the horizon, as Larry Mayer of ChicagoBears.com details.
“Bears fans and everybody in the building was expecting this team to contend for a Super Bowl and now we’ve dug ourselves a little bit of a hole,” McCaskey said. “But I think every team faces some adversity at some point in the season and the measure of the team is how they react to that adversity. So we’ll see what these guys are made of. We have every confidence in Phil and Marc and the players to pull us out of this.”
Although it’s not unusual for high-ranking team executives to express disappointment over poor results and optimism about the future, McCaskey’s comments are somewhat notable for their mention of GM Phil Emery and head coach Marc Trestman. As Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com observes (via Twitter), McCaskey’s vote of confidence for Emery and Trestman seems unsolicited and somewhat premature.
At this point, McCaskey’s comments should simply be taken at face value, since it’s unlikely that either Emery, who has been the team’s GM since January 2012, or Trestman, hired in 2013, are on any sort of hot seat just yet. But if the Bears continue to struggle in the second half, it may be a situation worth keeping an eye on as the 2015 season approaches. The team hasn’t earned a playoff berth since the 2010 campaign, and Emery’s massive investment in Jay Cutler is the kind of move that could eventually cost him his job if the Bears don’t become a legit contender with Cutler at the helm.
AFC Notes: Broncos, Verrett, Jets, Rice
Here are a few Thursday items from around the AFC:
- The Broncos have taken a step forward on the defensive side of the ball this season, and the team’s pass rush has played a significant role in the unit’s improvement. Joan Niesen of TheMMQB.com takes a look at some of Denver’s key defenders, including free agent signee DeMarcus Ware and outside linebacker Von Miller, who will soon be in line for a pricey contract extension.
- Rookie Chargers cornerback Jason Verrett has been diagnosed with a torn labrum, and is expected to miss two or three weeks, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Rapoport indicates that Verrett hopes to play through the injury and perhaps explore surgical options after the season. With Brandon Flowers also ailing, San Diego could look into adding depth at cornerback, though it’s hardly the only position where the team has been hit hard by injuries.
- Geno Smith doesn’t represent the present or the future for the Jets at quarterback, in the view of Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, who suggests that the club needs to move on from its former 39th overall pick and focus on identifying a new QB of the future.
- While Ray Rice likely won’t ever play for the Ravens again, some team will look into signing him eventually. Andrew Brandt of TheMMQB.com examines what a conversation between a general manager and a head coach may look like if the topic of signing the veteran running back surfaces.
Outlook For Trade Candidates Who Stayed Put
As is typically the case, the 2014 trade deadline was a fairly quiet affair. While the Seahawks and Jets made headlines earlier this month when they completed a swap that sent Percy Harvin to New York, Tuesday’s actual deadline day didn’t feature those sort of fireworks. The Buccaneers were the NFL’s only real seller, shipping former first-round safety Mark Barron to the Rams and linebacker Jonathan Casillas to New England.
Even though Tampa Bay was active at the deadline, the team still held onto several notable players who had been frequently cited as trade candidates in recent weeks, including Vincent Jackson, Doug Martin, and Dashon Goldson. And there were many other players around the league who appeared to be viable trade candidates who weren’t moved, and remain with their teams.
So it’s worth examining what the outlook is for those players as the 2014 season enters its home stretch and the offseason looms. In some instances, the fact that these players were viewed as guys who could – or should – be dealt suggests that their days with their current clubs are limited, but that’s not always the case. Starting with those three Bucs who stayed put, let’s take a closer look at the futures of 10 players who were mentioned at least as trade candidates, but weren’t dealt by Tuesday afternoon….
Vincent Jackson (WR), Buccaneers
Contract situation: Under contract through 2016. Owed base salary of $9.778MM in 2015 ($12.21MM cap hit).
2015 outlook: Jackson’s ’15 base salary and cap hit are nearly identical to his ’14 figures, so if the Bucs were willing to keep him around at those figures this season, it stands to reason that they could do so again next year. Of course, coming into 2014, Jackson had averaged 75 receptions, 1,304, and eight touchdowns during his two seasons in Tampa Bay, making him one of the league’s most productive wideouts. So far this season, he’s on pace for a 59-816-5 line. Even if that dropoff can be blamed on Tampa Bay’s poor quarterback play, that sort of production isn’t worth carrying a $12MM+ cap hit, which makes Jackson a strong candidate to be cut or restructure his deal.
Doug Martin (RB), Buccaneers
Contract situation: Under contract through 2015. Owed base salary of $1.316MM in 2015 ($2.16MM cap hit).
2015 outlook: While Martin is still receiving plenty of carries for Tampa Bay, it certainly seems as if the team would be fine with splitting carries between Bobby Rainey and rookie Charles Sims, when Sims gets healthy. Martin is a former first-round pick, has a 1,450-yard season on his resumé, and is still on an inexpensive contract, so it’s unlikely he’ll be cut before his rookie deal expires. But if he’s not in the Bucs’ long-term plans, a trade would make the most sense — perhaps his name will resurface as a trade candidate in the offseason.
Dashon Goldson (S), Buccaneers
Contract situation: Under contract through 2017. Owed base salary of $7.5MM in 2015 ($4MM guaranteed, $8MM cap hit).
2015 outlook: With Barron out of the picture in Tampa Bay, it may just be a matter of time until the team’s other apparent cornerstone at safety follows him out the door. Since signing a massive five-year deal with the team in March of 2013, Goldson has underwhelmed, receiving a -14.4 grade from Pro Football Focus last season and a -8.3 mark so far this year (subscription required). His ’15 base salary includes $4MM in guaranteed money, so perhaps the club tries to make it work for one more year, but with no prorated bonus money counting against the cap, it also wouldn’t be hard for the Bucs to walk away if they decide he’s not the right fit for Lovie Smith’s defense.
Tony Carter (CB), Broncos
Contract situation: Eligible for unrestricted free agency at season’s end.
2015 outlook: Carter has been a forgotten man in Denver this season, given the team’s depth at cornerback, but he did generate some interest at the deadline and could be a bargain in free agency this offseason. The Broncos will likely do everything they can to lock up cornerback Chris Harris, who has played very well this season, but if the team’s cap limitations prevent a deal with Harris, Carter could remain with the team beyond this season as a less expensive option at nickel back.
Justin Tuck (DE), Raiders
Contract situation: Under contract through 2015. Owed base salary of $3.35MM in 2015 ($5MM cap hit).
2015 outlook: Tuck isn’t racking up huge sack numbers in Oakland, but PFF’s numbers rate him as a top-10 3-4 defensive end so far this season (subscription required). His salary figures for 2015 are about the same as this year’s, so he’d probably represent a decent value, but there are other factors at play here. Most notably, if the Raiders continue to be the NFL’s worst team, it seems realistic that a new GM and head coach could be in place by the spring. In that case, perhaps a new regime would prefer to get out of Tuck’s deal, which wouldn’t have any dead money, opting instead for younger players at the position.
Jermaine Gresham (TE), Bengals
Contract situation: Eligible for unrestricted free agency at season’s end.
2015 outlook: If it wasn’t clear before that Gresham isn’t part of the Bengals’ future plans, the fact that he was identified as a trade candidate even while Tyler Eifert remained on the shelf is an indication that his time in Cincinnati is nearly up. I’d expect to see him sign elsewhere when he hits the open market in March.
Kendall Langford (DT), Rams
Contract situation: Under contract through 2015. Owed base salary of $6MM in 2015 ($7MM cap hit).
2015 outlook: While Langford hasn’t played poorly for the Rams, he’s becoming increasingly expendable given the presence of first-round picks Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers. With only $1MM in dead money on Langford’s contract for 2015, I’d expect to see St. Louis cut him this winter and use that $6MM on multiple players, possibly including a cheaper defensive tackle option to complement Donald and Brockers.
Nate Washington (WR), Titans
Contract situation: Eligible for unrestricted free agency at season’s end.
2015 outlook: Washington has played for the Titans since 2009, so he may want to continue his career with the team when his contract expires at season’s end. But if there’s mutual interest in a new deal, it would probably have to be at a rate less than his current $4.8MM salary, given the presence of Justin Hunter and Kendall Wright, and Washington’s declining role in the offense.
Michael Griffin (S), Titans
Contract situation: Under contract through 2016. Owed base salary of $6.3MM in 2015 ($8.1MM cap hit).
2015 outlook: Griffin’s 2015 cap and salary figures are nearly identical to his 2014 totals, but I’m guessing the Titans will be less inclined to commit to him for next season, particularly with less dead money left on his deal. The veteran safety hasn’t looked like an ideal fit in Tennessee’s new defensive scheme and has struggled to make plays. Releasing him for 2015 would generate $4.5MM in cap savings, and could make real sense for the Titans.
Wesley Woodyard (LB), Titans
Contract situation: Under contract through 2017. Owed base salary of $2.75MM in 2015 ($3.5MM cap hit)
2015 outlook: Unlike Griffin and Akeem Ayers, Woodyard was just signed by the Titans this offseason, so if he’s not viewed as a fit in the team’s defense, the new regime only has itself to blame. Still, the fact that Woodyard was mentioned as a possible trade candidate may have had less to do with his fit in Tennessee, and more to do with the fact that he’s a fairly inexpensive and versatile player who could’ve brought back a moderate return in a deal. The 28-year-old’s base salary isn’t guaranteed for 2015, so the team could consider trading or releasing him, but he seems like a reasonable bet to be back with the Titans next season.
West Notes: Sutton, Chiefs, Rams
Let’s check in on a few Wednesday links from around the NFL’s two West divisions….
- Jets head coach Rex Ryan told reporters, including Randy Covitz of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter), that he hopes Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton gets a head coaching job, but added, “I hope it’s not mine.”
- The Chiefs took a look at a handful of free agent defenders this week, says Howard Balzer of The SportsXchange (via Twitter). Per Balzer, linebackers Brandon Denmark, Kevin Reddick, D.J. Smith, and Uani Unga, as well as defensive end Tim Fugger, all worked out for the club.
- The Rams brought in offensive tackles Mitchell Van Dyk and Jason Weaver for tryouts this week, according to Balzer (via Twitter).
- In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Louis Riddick examines several extension candidates who should be in line for big contracts soon, either from their own teams or in free agency. Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas tops the list, with Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston and Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson among the other players earning mentions.
- Earlier tonight, I asked if the Seahawks and 49ers, who entered the year as favorites to come out of the NFC, will even earn playoff spots this season.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Poll: Will Seahawks, Niners Make Playoffs?
We’re approximately at the halfway point of the 2014 season, and while there have been plenty of surprises around the league, one of the most interesting subplots have surfaced in the NFC West, where the 6-1 Cardinals have a two-game lead over the 49ers and the Super Bowl champion Seahawks, both of whom are 4-3.
Because at least one club has to represent the underachieving NFC South, and the East and North each feature two strong contenders, the Seahawks and Niners would both be left on the outside looking in if the postseason were to begin today. Of course, with nine games still to come, including some against the Cardinals, each team will have a chance to go on a run and earn a postseason berth.
The Seahawks, who were viewed as the Super Bowl favorite coming into the season, have the opportunity to go on a winning streak over the next few weeks, with three of their next four games at home, including contests against the Raiders and Giants. But reports about locker room discontent have swirled around the team all season, even following the unexpected departure of Percy Harvin, and the club certainly isn’t playing like the team that blew out the Broncos nearly nine months ago.
As for the Niners, who have appeared in the last three NFC Championship games, the team is expected to welcome back key defenders like Aldon Smith and perhaps NaVorro Bowman within the next few weeks. However, San Francisco’s offense has struggled with its consistency, and the team has looming road games in New Orleans and Seattle, as well as tough home tests against the Seahawks, Cardinals, and Chargers.
What do you think? Will the Seahawks and/or Niners mount a second-half charge and make the playoffs? Will a current contender, whether it’s the Cardinals, Cowboys, Eagles, Lions, or Packers, fall off and let either Seattle or San Francisco sneak in? Weigh in below, and feel free to expand on your vote in the comments section.
Raiders Sign Larry Asante
The Raiders have filled the open spot on their 53-man roster, announcing today in a press release that they’ve signed defensive back Larry Asante. The safety replaces linebacker Bojay Filimoeatu, who was cut yesterday, cleared waivers, and has been re-signed to Oakland’s practice squad.
Asante, 26, was on the Raiders’ roster during the preseason, but was waived with an injured designation during the team’s cutdown to 75 players and was later released from IR with a settlement. The former fifth-round pick worked out for Oakland last week, and the club apparently liked what it saw during that audition.
Since being selected 160th overall in 2010, Asante has spent time with the Browns, Buccaneers, and Colts, seeing limited action on defense and special teams. For his career, Asante has compiled 11 tackles, an interception, and a forced fumble. He’s not expected to play a significant role for the Raiders.
NFC Notes: Eagles, Aldon Smith, Cards
The Eagles were cited as a potential suitor for a safety prior to Tuesday’s trade deadline, but they didn’t trade for anyone to replace Nate Allen because they have confidence in his ability to bounce back, as Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes.
“I watch every play Nate had. Nate had a very good game. He had one bad play,” defensive coordinator Bill Davis said. “Over and over again, Nate was in the right spot, the right leverage, making the plays, and at the end of the game he had one bad play. The spotlight is on you, and that’s part of being in the secondary, but Nate has thick skin, and we as a defense, collectively, blew it at the end.”
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Don’t expect an announcement on a reduced suspension for 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith today, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The chances of Smith playing on Sunday are diminishing, but he could be in line for a return in the following week. That means the linebacker probably won’t be available for SF’s divisional game against the Rams but he could be back in action for the following week at New Orleans.
- With lots of talk and little action before this year’s trade deadline, Cardinals coach Bruce Arians has a simple solution to make things more active. “It’s not like if it were four more weeks, you might be out of it, and you might trade a guy that’s in the last year of his contract and you’re not going to get anything for,” Arians said on SiriusXM, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. “But right now they’re still hoping in 25 cities or 28 cities that they’re going to the playoffs. I would like to see the trade deadline go back a little bit.“
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk checks in on Adrian Peterson, writing that the Vikings running back’s career outlook remains murky.
- While Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley will get a second opinion on his knee injury on Friday or early next week, he’s not expected to undergo surgery and should be sidelined for about a month, tweets Rapoport.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Seahawks Sign Will Tukuafu, L.J. Fort
After waiving a pair of offensive players – wideout Phil Bates and tight end Brett Brackett – yesterday, the Seahawks have filled those open roster spots by adding a free agent and a player off their practice squad. According to the team (Twitter link), Seattle has signed fullback Will Tukuafu and promoted linebacker L.J. Fort to the 53-man roster.
The Seahawks had been without a fullback since placing Derrick Coleman on injured reserve, and could have some depth issues at linebacker with Bobby Wagner out and Malcolm Smith battling an injury, so it makes sense that the team would add a player at each of those positions.
Still, it’s also worth noting that both Tukuafu and Fort have been listed at other positions during their NFL careers. When the Seahawks signed Fort to their taxi squad, they listed him as a fullback, after he auditioned at that spot during his tryout with the team. For now, he’ll be returning to his original position. As for Tukuafu, he has experience on the defensive line as well as at fullback during his previous seasons with the division-rival Niners.
The Seahawks now have a full 53-man roster, with two openings on their practice squad.
Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
They may not be the sort of deadline-day transactions we’re hoping for, but some teams around the league are making roster moves, adding and subtracting players from their respective practice squads. We’ll track the latest updates below:
- The Broncos have added receiver Douglas McNeil to their practice squad, reports Troy Renck of the Denver Post. An Arena League standout, the 26-year-old McNeil caught 66 balls for 858 yards and 18 touchdowns in 11 games for the Portland Thunder. He takes the practice squad spot of John Boyett, who was released last week following his arrest for assault.
- The Colts announced receiver Chandler Jones was signed to their practice squad at the expense of running back Jeff Demps. This will be Jones’ second stint with the Colts this season, while Demps’ stay with the team lasted just a week. Jones is an undrafted free agent out of San Jose State, where he is the school’s all-time leading receiver.
- The Giants have cut linebacker Carlos Fields from their practice squad, according to NJ.com’s Jordan Raanan (via Twitter).
- Running back Ben Malena has replaced cornerback Kendall James on the Texans‘ practice squad, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
- The Rams have signed offensive tackle Steven Baker to their taxi squad, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The club had plenty of space to add Baker without cutting a player, but released quarterback Garrett Gilbert from the practice squad nonetheless, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
- Wideout Tavarres King has signed to the Buccaneers‘ practice squad, says Caplan (via Twitter). The team doesn’t have any openings on its PS, but after today’s trades, there are two spots available on the active roster, so I imagine at least one player is in line for a promotion.
Earlier updates:
- The Dolphins performed a bit of an overhaul on their practice squad today, adding tight end Evan Wilson, tight end Gerell Robinson, and cornerback Rashaan Melvin to replace quarterback Seth Lobato, tight end Jake Murphy, and defensive back Rod Sweeting, per Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (Twitter links).
- With backup running back Stepfan Taylor expected to be sidelined for the near future, the Cardinals have added some backfield insurance via their practice squad, signing running back Zach Bauman, writes Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. Cornerback Anthony Gaitor has been waived to make room for the new addition.
- Wide receiver Jace Davis, who was with the Ravens during training camp and the preseason, has re-signed with the team’s practice squad, according to a press release. Davis takes the 10th and final spot, which had been vacated after tight end Phillip Supernaw was promoted to the active roster on the weekend.