NFC North Links: Nelson, Vikings, Bears
Many prospective free agents give stock answers when asked about their next contract, expressing a desire to remain with their current teams because that’s what expected of them. But in the view of Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, Jordy Nelson isn’t sticking to the middle of the road when discussing his situation with the Packers, and has expressed a strong preference to remain in Green Bay.
“My wife and I have enjoyed it,” Nelson said Sunday of his time with the Packers. “Let’s see, it’s six years, going on seven years now. We don’t want to go anywhere else. We love it here. We want to be here, and hopefully we can get to that point.”
Our Peter Sowards examined Nelson as an extension candidate last month.
Let’s check in on a few other items from around the NFC North:
- Speaking of saying all the right things, Vikings rookie Teddy Bridgewater has suggested he’s perfectly content to start his NFL career as a backup. But as Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune writes, history suggests that a first-round quarterback like Bridgewater won’t stay on the bench for long.
- In his latest mailbag, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune fields readers’ questions on a handful of Bears-related topics, including potential free agent targets still on the market, and whether or not Chicago would be willing to take a chance on recently-waived safety Will Hill.
- Although Minnesota will never be at the top of most athletes’ destination wish lists, the Vikings and other local teams are proving it’s not the free agent outpost it used to be, writes Michael Rand of the Star Tribune.
Contract Incentives
When I broke down the concept of contract bonuses in a previous PFR Glossary entry, I touched briefly on the idea of contract incentives, but it’s worth taking a more in-depth look at that specific kind of bonus. Whereas a signing bonus is fairly straightforward in its payment and its cap structure, incentives can be used to manipulate a player’s cap hit, and will often alter that player’s cap number after the fact.
At the most basic level, contract incentives are designed to reward a player for his performance — in some cases, these financial rewards are linked to individual or team production, while other incentives can be earned simply by the player earning a spot on his team’s active roster from week to week. These incentives are divided into two categories: Likely to be earned (LTBE) and not likely to be earned (NLTBE).
Under the NFL’s definition, a likely to be earned incentive is generally one that was achieved the year before. So if a running back racked up 1,300 yards on the ground in 2013 and has an incentive in his contract that would reward him for surpassing 1,200 yards in 2014, that incentive is viewed as likely to be earned and counts against his cap hit from the start of the year. On the other hand, a back who has never surpassed 700 rushing yards in a season could have an incentive on his deal for 2014 that would reward him for rushing for 800 yards — such a bonus would be considered not likely to be earned, and wouldn’t count against the player’s cap number.
Because the player’s or team’s performance in a given season dictates whether or not the incentive is actually earned, the player’s cap number is sometimes altered after the fact. For instance, there’d be no change if a player met the criteria for a $50K LTBE incentive, but if he failed to earn that incentive, his team would be credited with $50K in cap room for the following season. Similarly, if a $50K NLTBE incentive isn’t reached, nothing changes, but if a player does earn that incentive, his club’s cap space for the following season is reduced by $50K.
A simple incentive linked to yardage or touchdown totals in a season isn’t too hard to track, but there are more convoluted forms of bonuses. Let’s say a player coming off an injury that limited him to six games played signs a contract that would pay him $500K in per-game roster bonuses. That player would be considered likely to appear in six games, but unlikely to appear in more beyond that. So, of his $500K in roster bonuses, $187,500 would initially count against the cap, as the LTBE portion.
Here are a few more notes on contract incentives and how they work:
- Any incentive that is considered to be in the player’s sole control, such as weight bonuses, or his presence at workouts, is considered likely to be earned.
- Any incentive in the first year of a rookie contract is considered likely to be earned.
- Individual performance incentives can be linked to most basic statistical categories, such as yardage, yards per attempt, and touchdowns. However, more obscure stat categories typically aren’t allowed for individual incentives. For instance, a receiver couldn’t have an incentive tied to receptions of 20+ yards. Meanwhile, a defender could have an incentive linked to sacks or interceptions, but not to tackles for a loss.
- In some cases, individual performances can also dictate the value of traded draft picks. For example, the future pick changing hands from the Bills to the Eagles will be dependent on the performances of Stevie Johnson for the 49ers and Bryce Brown of the Bills. Those players don’t necessarily have personal incentives in their contracts, but depending on how they perform, Philadelphia could pick up either a 2015 fourth-rounder, a 2016 third-rounder, or a ’16 fourth-rounder.
Note: This is a PFR Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to free agency, trades, or other aspects of the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Information from Russell Street Report, Over The Cap, and Salary Cap 101 was used in the creation of this post.
NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Jackson, Giants
The Cowboys may currently be listed as having nearly $11MM in cap space, but that doesn’t mean the team has as much breathing room as it may seem, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. As Archer observes, that figure doesn’t include the contracts of Dallas’ top two draft picks, it doesn’t take into account per-game roster bonuses for players like Henry Melton and Anthony Spencer, and it doesn’t include injury settlements for any players who get hurt during camp. Still, the Cowboys should have enough room to extend Tyron Smith and Dez Bryant if they choose to do so this year, since those deals could be structured in a way that doesn’t significantly impact this year’s cap hits.
Here’s more from around the NFC East:
- A federal court filing reveals that DeSean Jackson names former agent Drew Rosenhaus as the driving force behind an ill-fated 2011 holdout that didn’t result in a new deal, writes Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports. According to the legal filing, Jackson hired Rosenhaus in part because the agent assured the receiver he had “close ties to Eagles management” and could renegotiate a new contract before or during the 2010 season. The filing is the latest development in a financial dispute between Jackson and Rosenhaus over $500K+ that the agent paid the wideout to become and remain his client.
- The Cowboys made it clear how much they value probable starter J.J. Wilcox when they decided not to draft a safety until the seventh round, says Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News.
- In photo gallery form, the Dallas Morning News lists the five worst contracts on the Cowboys‘ cap, with Sean Lee‘s and Brandon Carr‘s deals leading the way.
- Paul Schwartz of the New York Post takes a look at how all the Giants‘ veteran newcomers are fitting in with their new team.
Poll: Where Will Jermichael Finley Sign?
It may be a stretch to dub this June the month of the tight end, but the position will be at the center of a number of major stories over the next few weeks. Vernon Davis is skipping the 49ers’ OTAs in hopes of landing a new contract; Jimmy Graham‘s franchise tag position is a point of contention that will be decided by an arbitrator after a hearing later this month; and Jermichael Finley is the best free agent still on the market, in the estimation of PFR readers.
With June 1 behind us, free agents are no longer tied to future compensatory draft picks, and Finley has now been medically cleared by his personal doctor. That doesn’t mean that he’ll be subsequently cleared by every NFL team doctor, but he appears to be on the road to recovery after undergoing spinal fusion surgery last year, and there are few roadblocks left for him to ink a new deal.
Of course, just because he’s getting healthy, that doesn’t mean Finley is a lock to return to the field. While we do expect the tight end to sign somewhere, agent Blake Baratz confirmed last week that his client could file for the collection of a $10MM insurance policy if he opts not continue his playing career. If the offers Finley receives are modest one- or two-year proposals, that insurance policy could start to look awfully appealing, particularly since it would come with no further health risks.
Still, Finley has been a productive pass-catcher when he’s been healthy, accumulating 223 receptions for 2,785 yards and 20 touchdowns in 70 career contests. At age 27, he still should have plenty left in the tank, and a good season in the right situation could increase his value and help him land a bigger contract next year — perhaps one that would ensure his career earnings eventually exceed that $10MM insurance policy.
Assuming he does return, Finley seems to have a handful of possible landing spots. Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report reported earlier this week that “a good half-dozen teams” were quietly pursuing the former Packer, and while the Seahawks are reportedly out of the running, several clubs are still believed to have interest. The Steelers and Raiders were the latest potential suitors added to a list that already included the Patriots and Packers. And while they haven’t necessarily been connected to Finley recently (or at all), I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of the Giants or Falcons entering the mix, since both teams could use a pass-catching tight end.
What do you think? Where will Finley eventually land?
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Negotiations Stalled Between Harbaugh, 49ers
The 49ers hammered out a new agreement with quarterback Colin Kaepernick quicker than expected, but it doesn’t look like that will also be the case for head coach Jim Harbaugh. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, negotiations on a contract extension for Harbaugh remain at an impasse for now. The Niners have made an offer, but the coach had yet to respond to it.
Whereas Kaepernick was entering the final year of his previous contract, Harbaugh still has two years left on his, so there may not be quite the same amount of urgency to finalize an extension quite yet. Still, it’s highly unlikely that the team and coach would head into the 2015 season without a new agreement in place, so if the two sides don’t work something out this summer, the 2014 season could be decisive in determining Harbaugh’s future.
As Florio observes, Harbaugh seems to want to be paid like a coach who has won the Super Bowl, even though he has yet to do so. If the Niners aren’t willing to pay that price, Harbaugh may be inclined to roll the dice on himself and his team and see how the 2014 season plays out — per betting site Bovada.lv, only the Seahawks and Broncos have better odds than the Niners to win this season’s Super Bowl, and adding a championship to his resumé would certainly improve Harbaugh’s leverage in negotiations heading into his contract year.
Jadeveon Clowney, Texans Agree To Terms
More than half of 2014’s first-round picks have already reached agreements with their new NFL clubs, and now we can add the No. 1 overall selection to that list. According to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter), the Texans have agreed to terms with Jadeveon Clowney on his four-year rookie contract, which will include a team option for 2018.
After a dominant sophomore season at South Carolina, Clowney’s junior campaign didn’t go quite as smoothly, as he missed two games due to injury and some observers questioned his work ethic. Still, his pure athleticism and talent made him the consensus No. 1 overall pick last month. As a sophomore, Clowney helped lead South Carolina to a 11–2 record, setting the school record for sacks (13.0) and tackles for loss (23.5) while also registering 54 tackles and three forced fumbles. In 2013, Clowney finished his junior season with 35 tackles, 10.5 for a loss of yardage, and three sacks.
Per Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap, Clowney’s four-year rookie contract will have an overall value of about $22.273MM, including a signing bonus of approximately $14.519MM. With Clowney locked up, the Texans have now reached agreements with nine of their 10 draft picks. As our tracker shows, only second-round guard Xavier Su’a-Filo remains unsigned.
NFC Notes: Giants, Cassel, 49ers, Eagles
A former Packers tight end will work out for the Giants next week, but it’s not the player voted the best remaining free agent by PFR readers last month. Tom Crabtree, not Jermichael Finley, will audition for the Giants, a source tells Conor Orr of The Star-Ledger. Crabtree’s stint with the Buccaneers came to a premature end after an injury-plaged 2013 season, but the tight end is healthy now, according to Orr’s source. While the 28-year-old has never provided consistent production as a pass-catcher, he did make several big plays for the Packers in 2012, racking up 203 receiving yards and three TDs on just eight receptions.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- When Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner held the same job with the Browns a year ago, he wanted Cleveland to sign Matt Cassel. The Browns ultimately went with the cheaper Jason Campbell instead, but Turner will get his chance to work with Cassel in Minnesota this season, writes Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
- In the view of Joel Corry of CBSSports.com, Colin Kaepernick‘s extension shouldn’t prevent the 49ers from locking up other key players, but it may create less margin for error in the club’s roster decisions.
- In taking an in-depth look at the Eagles‘ quarterback situation, Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer explores how much Nick Foles may get paid on his next contract and suggests Mark Sanchez looks like the favorite for the No. 2 job over Matt Barkley.
- Based on pre-draft assurances from head coach Jeff Fisher and GM Les Snead, Sam Bradford was able to brush off the Johnny Manziel rumors surrounding the Rams last month, as the quarterback tells Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- Mike Tanier of Sports on Earth tries to make sense of the Panthers‘ moves over the last several months in his piece breaking down the team’s offseason.
Extension Talks Underway For McCourty, Casey
The Patriots have reached out to Devin McCourty‘s camp to begin contract negotiations for the standout safety, who is in the final year of his rookie deal, reports Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter). Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link) clarifies that while the Pats have informed McCourty they’re interested in an extension, the two sides haven’t officially begun to negotiate specific figures yet.
Meanwhile, according to Breer (via Twitter), McCourty isn’t the only notable AFC defender whose team is eyeing a new contract — nose tackle Jurrell Casey and the Titans have also had early discussions about an extension.
McCourty, 26, didn’t post the same flashy numbers in 2013 that he has in past seasons, grabbing just one interception after totaling 14 in his first three NFL seasons. However, the former 27th overall pick received excellent scores for his overall performance from Pro Football Focus (subscription required), whose grades ranked him as the league’s best safety in ’13. Given the big-money deals signed by fellow safeties like Jairus Byrd and Earl Thomas in recent months, McCourty should be in line for a multiyear contract that rivals the $9-10MM annual salaries earned by those players.
As for Casey, the 24-year-old is coming off a breakout season in which he compiled 10.5 sacks and 55 tackles, ranking fourth among 69 qualified defensive tackles, per PFF’s metrics (subscription required). Casey’s pass-rushing grades placed him behind only Gerald McCoy and Ndamukong Suh as an interior rusher, as he racked up 54 quarterback pressures for the season. Not coincidentally, Suh and McCoy are the league’s top two highest-paid defensive tackles by per-year salary, so Casey, who will earn a $1.431MM base salary in the last year of his rookie contract, should also expect a lucrative long-term deal.
Minor Moves: Browns, Titans, Chiefs, Giants
We can expect plenty more transactions throughout the day as teams continue to sign draft picks and shuffle players around at the backs of their rosters, but we already have a handful of minor moves to round up this morning, so let’s dive right in….
- In addition to cutting edge rusher Quentin Groves, as we noted earlier today, the Browns have also cut linebacker Larry Grant, the team announced (via Twitter). The Ohio State product, who has spent time with the Rams, Niners, and Bears, just signed with the Browns about two weeks ago, so his stint in Cleveland didn’t last long.
- Wide receiver Josh Stewart, who was waived by the Titans earlier this week, received the waived-injured designation at the time, and has now been transferred to the club’s injured reserve list, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- When the Chiefs parted ways with defensive lineman Risean Broussard yesterday, it was with the waived-injured designation, tweets Wilson. As such, we can probably expect the 22-year-old to land on Kansas City’s IR.
- Offensive lineman Stephen Goodin, who hit the Giants‘ IR after being waived last week, has been removed from the list with an injury settlement, says Wilson (via Twitter). Goodin, who had spent two seasons with the club, is now an unrestricted free agent.