Bengals Sign Dalton To Six-Year Extension
The Bengals have reached a long-term agreement with their starting quarterback, confirming today that they’ve signed Andy Dalton to a six-year contract extension. Combined with the one year remaining on his current pact, the deal locks up Dalton through the 2020 season.
Although initial reports pegged the value of the six-year deal at $115MM, the base value is actually $96MM, with $17MM in guaranteed money — Dalton will receive a $12MM signing bonus and a $5MM roster bonus that’s due in three days. Escalators can push the overall value of the contract up to about $115MM, with the extra $19MM or so available based on whether Dalton and the Bengals advance to the divisional round, conference championship, and Super Bowl during the next few seasons. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has the complete year-by-year breakdown of the pact, as well as the specific details on how Dalton can earn up to $115MM.
The Bengals passed on quarterbacks in the early rounds of this year’s draft before ultimately selecting A.J. McCarron in the fifth round, suggesting that the team was relying on Dalton as its quarterback of the future. Both sides expressed optimism throughout the offseason about getting something done, even as the Bengals weighed new deals for other extension candidates like A.J. Green and Vontaze Burfict.
While Dalton has yet to win a playoff game as the starter in Cincinnati, the 26-year-old has put up big numbers in the regular season, setting career-highs in 2013 with 4,293 passing yards and 33 touchdowns. Selected in the second round of the 2011 draft, Dalton has led the Bengals to a 30-18 record and three postseason appearances during his first three seasons in the league, averaging nearly 3,800 yards passing, 27 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in that span.
Advanced metrics rate Dalton as average — Football Outsiders ranked him as the 17th-best QB by DYAR in 2013, while Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded him 16th-best. The PFF rating, however, illustrates Dalton’s inconsistency — in 2014, he finished three weeks with a +5.0 or better grade, while five other weeks saw him earn a -3.0 or worse mark.
That inconsistency, combined with Dalton’s 0-3 playoff record, may be why more than half of you voted back in June that the Bengals shouldn’t reward the QB with a long-term extension. Still, given the market for solid starting quarterbacks, it seemed likely all along that Cincinnati would have to pay around $18MM per year to retain Dalton, as our Dallas Robinson suggested earlier in the offseason. At six years and $96MM, the deal actually has an annual average of just $16MM, though that number could increase to over $19MM based on the team’s performance. Dalton’s agreement could also have an effect on fellow extension candidate Alex Smith, who is likewise entering the last year of his current contract.
The structure and guarantees on Dalton’s new contract are notable, since Bengals owner Mike Brown indicated last month that the team would like to sign its quarterback to a deal similar to the one agreed to by Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers. The value of Kaepernick’s extension is a little higher than Dalton’s, but the Niners’ signal-caller landed a more modest guarantee (about $12.3MM), and his extension also includes potential de-escalators if he doesn’t reach certain benchmarks. Both contracts get most of the guarantees out of the way early though, making them pay-as-you-go deals for the Bengals and Niners.
Adam Schefter and Adam Caplan of ESPN.com first reported the agreement (via Twitter), with Pro Football Talk and Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter links) adding details.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
David Wilson Out For ’14, Career In Jeopardy?
12:22pm: The Giants are expected to issue a statement regarding Wilson soon, and will most likely place him on injured reserve, tweets Kimberly Jones of NFL.com. Anderson adds (via Twitter) that Wilson’s 2014 season is over. If Wilson is indeed heading to IR, the club could wait a few weeks to officially make the move, at which point the running back would no longer have to pass through waivers.
AUGUST 4, 11:52am: : A source tells ESPN’s Josina Anderson (TwitLonger link) that Giants doctors have shut down Wilson due to his neck issues, and there’s a belief that the injury could be career-ending.
JULY 31, 10:00am: Just over a week after he was medically cleared to return to the field following neck surgery, Giants running back David Wilson left practice on Tuesday with a neck burner. Although Wilson tweeted last night that he’s “fine,” the team is more concerned about his status, according to Jordan Raanan & Conor Orr of NJ.com. The duo reports that the Giants believe Wilson is a long shot to return to the field, with a source suggesting that the running back “needs a miracle.”
It’s an extremely unfortunate turn of events for Wilson, who was projected to be the second-string tailback for the Giants this season behind the newly-signed Rashad Jennings, assuming both players remained healthy. No official determination has been made yet, however, as Wilson is scheduled to meet on Monday with Dr. Frank Cammisa, who performed last year’s neck surgery. After that assessment, the two sides should have a better idea of how to move forward.
It’s worth noting that the Giants have a reputation for being very cautious with neck injuries, so even if their team doctors weren’t comfortable with clearing Wilson, that doesn’t necessarily mean his NFL career is over. We’re seeing a similar situation play out with Jermichael Finley, who has reportedly been cleared by at least one NFL team doctor, but hasn’t received clearance from the Packers, who are also wary of neck and spine injuries.
Lions Notes: Bush, Fluellen, Suh
The big news story out of Lions training camp so far has been the team’s decision to table extension talks with star defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh until after the season. Still, Suh isn’t the only Detroit player worth watching this summer. Here’s the latest on a few of his teammates:
- Back in January, Reggie Bush indicated that he hopes to play in the NFL “at least another five years,” but his latest comments suggest that his goal is actually to stick around longer than that. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, the veteran running back would love to play 15 total seasons, which would mean playing for another seven years. “I don’t want to put a timetable on it because I don’t know,” Bush said. “I don’t know if it’s five (years), four, three, six. I’m not sure. But I know if I get to 15 that’ll be a blessing.”
- Since entering the league as a third-round pick in 2008, Andre Fluellen has played defensive tackle, but as Birkett writes in a separate Free Press article, the 29-year-old has shifted to defensive end this year in the hopes of extending his career.
- Kyle Meinke of MLive.com fields readers’ questions in his latest mailbag, addressing Suh’s contract situation, discussing the secondary, and identifying the club’s standout rookies so far.
Latest On Bills Sale
10:25pm: Trump has been chosen to advance to the next round of bidding to purchase the Bills, a person familiar with the sale selection process told Mike Wawrow of The Associated Press.
2:54pm: Regardless of the actual figures submitted on Tuesday, initial reports on the differential between the top two bidders have the Bon Jovi group discouraged about being successful as currently constructed, tweets Graham.
1:31pm: Since initial bids for the Bills were collected on Tuesday, various reports and rumors have attempted to place a figure on the bids from the two main contenders, Buffalo Sabers owner Terry Pegula and the Toronto-based group led by Jon Bon Jovi. Although $1.3 billion has been cited as Pegula’s bid, and the Bon Jovi group is said to be in the $1.2 billion neighborhood, Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (Twitter link) hears from two sources “deeply plugged into” the sale process that every number reported so far has been wrong.
According to Graham (Twitter link), those sources specified that the $1.2 billion figure linked to the Bon Jovi/Larry Tanenbaum/Rogers family group is “quite higher than reality.” John Kryk of the Toronto Sun hears a similar story from his own sources, suggesting that $1.2 billion may be the limit for that Toronto group, but that the initial bid is more likely to be in the $800-900MM range. Kryk adds that if Pegula is actually willing to go up to $1.3 billion – or if he’s done so already – the Toronto group may not be able to match such an offer.
Still, based on Graham’s report, it seems unlikely that the Sabres owner submitted such a high number off the bat. In another tweet, Graham notes that Tuesday’s submissions were non-binding bids and that it’s unlikely that any player in the mix has shown his full hand yet. In other words, while the initial offers for the franchise may not have been as high as $1.2 or $1.3 billion, it’s possible that they could work there way up to that point eventually.
One potential roadblock for the Toronto group, as Kryk details, is Bon Jovi’s desire to be the lead bidder in the collective. To meet the NFL’s 30% principal-ownership threshold, the rock star would have to put up at least $360MM on a theoretical bid of $1.2 billion, which would be a significant percentage of his reported net worth ($500MM). As such, it seems at this point that Pegula is in the driver’s seat, though as Graham cautions, the process remains in its early stages.
Donald Trump was the third contender to submit a bid for the franchise on Tuesday, though – by his own admission – he seems like a long shot to ultimately win out.
Minor Moves: Thursday
Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL will be rounded up below, with any moves reported or announced this afternoon or evening added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- The Bears signed offensive tackle Dennis Roland and waived fellow tackle Cody Booth, tweets Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com recently wrote that Roland was one of the best right tackles remaining on the open market.
- The Chiefs waived rookie linebacker Ben Johnson to clear roster room for the signing of former Patriots safety Steve Gregory, tweets Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. The Chiefs signed Johnson as a UDFA out of Tennessee-Martin and he participated in training camp practices despite missing time during OTAs with a hamstring injury.
- The Dolphins have swapped one tight end for another, signing Raymond Webber and placing the recently-signed Brett Brackett on waivers, tweets Brian McIntyre.
- Per Aaron Wilson (Twitter links), the Bills have removed defensive back Brandon Smith from their injured reserve list, while the Seahawks did the same with offensive lineman Jared Smith. The Seahawks reached an injury settlement with their Smith, though it’s not clear if Buffalo did the same.
- Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com has the corresponding move for the Lions‘ signing of Redding (noted below), tweeting that the club has cut receiver Cody Wilson.
Earlier updates:
- Tight end Anthony McCoy has been moved to injured reserve by the Seahawks, who replaced him on the roster with former USC wide receiver Ronald Johnson, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
- According to his agent Joel E. Turner (Twitter link), rookie defensive end Kris Redding has signed with the Lions. Detroit currently has a full 90-man roster, so a corresponding move will be necessary when the team officially announces the signing of the Wake Forest product.
- After missing most of last season with a torn quadriceps, Colts guard Donald Thomas suffered the same injury in practice this week, according to Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk. It’s disappointing news for Thomas and for the Colts, who signed the offensive lineman to a four-year, $14MM prior to the 2013 season and have only gotten two regular-season games out of him so far. With second-round pick Jack Mewhort seemingly poised to take over a starting role, Indianapolis has placed Thomas on IR, signing offensive lineman Eric Pike to fill his roster spot, tweets Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.
- The Bears swapped a couple players near the back-end of their roster today, signing offensive lineman Graham Pocic and waived wide receiver Terrence Toliver with an injury settlement, the team announced (via Twitter).
Marshawn Lynch Reports To Seahawks
4:20pm: The Seahawks have confirmed that Lynch had indeed reported to camp, ending his holdout, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
2:07pm: After remaining absent from training camp for a little over a week, Marshawn Lynch will end his holdout and report to the Seahawks within the next 24 hours, sources tell Adam Schefter and Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Schefter (via Twitter), Lynch won’t get a new deal or a raise from Seattle, but the team is expected to make some financial concessions on his contract.
Lynch, 28, finished the 2013 season with 1,257 yards, giving him his third straight 1,000-yard season. He also registered 14 total touchdowns, a career-high. While Lynch didn’t play a big role in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl romp over the Broncos, he has been an integral part of the team for the past three seasons and change, and was seeking a raise heading into the third year of his four-year contract. The average annual value of that pact placed Lynch among the league’s top five highest-paid running backs, but in terms of base salaries, the 2014 ($5MM) and 2015 ($5.5MM) figures were more modest, as well as a step down from his 2013 salary ($7MM).
Having just signed Lynch to an extension two years ago, the Seahawks were steadfast in their refusal to rework his deal, with GM John Schneider repeatedly pointing to a blueprint that the club had put in place years ago — that plan allowed the team to reward Lynch with his previous extension, but didn’t afford the flexibility for another raise, particularly as other key contributors like Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and Michael Bennett signed extensions of their own.
Lynch was subject to fines of up to $30K for each day of camp he missed, and the Seahawks could also have pursued a portion of his signing bonus. With the running back set to report, it seems unlikely that those fines will be assessed, so perhaps those are the “financial concessions” mentioned by Schefter. It’s also possible that the team could insert some additional incentives into the last two years of Lynch’s deal, which wouldn’t necessarily increase his cap number for now, but could give him the opportunity to earn some bonus money.
With Lynch set to report this week, the NFL’s lone holdout at the moment is guard Alex Boone of the 49ers. While several reports had indicated the Seahawks were unlikely to relent on Lynch, the same can’t be said of the Niners and Boone, so it will be interesting to see which side caves first in that situation, or whether a compromise can be reached.
When Lynch officially reports to training camp, the Seahawks will have to remove him from their reserve (did not report) list, which will mean cutting someone on the 90-man roster to clear a spot for the standout running back.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Extension Talks Between Burfict, Bengals Stalled
Discussions between the Bengals and Vontaze Burfict on a new contract for the linebacker appear to have reached an impasse, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). We heard way back in May that the two sides had begun to discuss an extension, and earlier today a report suggested that the team still hoped to work something out before the regular season. However, it seems talks have stalled for now.
Burfict, 23, signed with the Bengals in 2012 as an undrafted free agent out of Arizona State, and quickly developed into a full-time starter in Cincinnati, leading the team in tackles (177) and earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2013. According to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), despite racking up penalties, Burfict graded as the league’s fourth-best 4-3 outside linebacker last season, performing particularly well in pass coverage.
Because he wasn’t drafted, Burfict is significantly underpaid heading into his contract year — he’s in line for a $570K base salary, with a cap number that’s only marginally higher than that, as a result of the $1K signing bonus he received back in ’12. However, even though he deserves a raise, Burfict’s leverage is limited by the fact that he’ll only be eligible for restricted free agency in 2015, meaning the Bengals can tender the linebacker an offer that would make it difficult for him to sign elsewhere.
The Bengals are also hoping to address Andy Dalton‘s contract situation in the near future, as well as extending A.J. Green, so perhaps the club will shift its focus on getting something done with those players if talks with Burfict come to a halt.
Chiefs Sign Steve Gregory
Former Patriots safety Steve Gregory has reached a deal to sign with the Chiefs, his agent David Canter announced today (via Twitter). Kansas City has a full 90-man roster, so the team will have to make a corresponding move to clear a spot for the new addition.
Gregory, 31, started 23 games at safety over the last two seasons for New England, but missed some time due to injuries in 2013, and was replaced adequately by rookie Duron Harmon, prompting the Pats to part ways with the veteran in February. A veteran who spent six years with the Chargers before his stint in New England, Gregory ranked among the league’s top 30 safeties in each of the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required).
While the timing is likely coincidental, it’s worth noting that the signing of Gregory comes on the same day that safety Eric Berry left Kansas City’s practice with an ankle injury. According to Adam Schefter (via Twitter), the Chiefs were just exercising caution with Berry, and aren’t concerned that his injury is significant. Defensive back Sanders Commings, on the other hand, appears to be more seriously hurt, as he is reportedly undergoing ankle surgery today. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Gregory ultimately replaced Commings on Chiefs’ roster.
Falcons’ Peria Jerry To Retire
Falcons defensive tackle Peria Jerry has announced his intentions to retire from the NFL, according to the team. News of Jerry’s decision to retire was first tweeted by Jay Glazer of FOX Sports.
Jerry, who turns 30 in August, was selected 24th overall in the 2009 draft by Atlanta. However, injuries and underwhelming production on the field prevented him from breaking through as a full-time starter until last season, when he started 14 of the club’s 16 contests.
The Mississippi product recorded 33 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2013, but graded as just the 65th-best defensive tackle of the 69 who received regular playing time, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). Over the course of his five seasons in Atlanta, Jerry started 29 of 64 games, making 67 total tackles and recovering a pair of fumbles.
After the Falcons overhauled their defensive line in the offseason, bringing in Paul Soliai and Tyson Jackson, among others, Jerry was expected to return to a reserve role, having re-signed with the team in March. Jerry’s minimum salary contract included a $160K roster bonus, which it appears he won’t be receiving now that he won’t be on the team’s regular-season roster.
AFC North Notes: Gordon, Urban, Leach
Harold Henderson will be the hearing officer for Josh Gordon‘s suspension appeal tomorrow, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link), and that may not be good news for the Browns wideout. Cabot says the argument that Gordon’s failed test was a result of second-hand smoke “won’t fly” with Henderson, and Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report echoes that sentiment (via Twitter).
- Ravens head coach John Harbaugh told reporters today, including Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), that fourth-round defensive lineman Brent Urban suffered a torn ACL this week in practice and will be sidelined for the 2014 season.
- Following Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods in 2011 and 2012, Ravens fullback Vonta Leach played a reduced role in 2013, and was ultimately cut by the team in February. However, as he tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, Leach isn’t retiring, and hopes to catch on with an NFL club. “A lot of teams and coaches have sent text message to make sure that I’m staying in shape,” Leach said. “You never know when you might get that call. I’m played in this league a long time. I know how this business works. You’ve got to be ready.”
- After breaking down the extensions signed by Patrick Peterson, Richard Sherman, and Joe Haden this year, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap concludes that Haden’s deal with the Browns is the strongest and the most protected upon signing.
- I rounded up a few Bengals rumors earlier this morning.