AFC East Notes: Pouncey, Easley, Bills
So far today, we’ve passed along word that Bills CEO Russ Brandon says Buffalo’s uncertain ownership situation isn’t affecting the team’s football decisions, and made note of a few minor signings made by the Patriots and Dolphins. Here’s more out of the AFC East:
- Unlike Richie Incognito and John Jerry, who were named in the Ted Wells bullying report along with him, center Mike Pouncey is getting a second chance with the Dolphins. Whether that’s because of his contract situation, his talent, his lesser role in the scandal, or a combination of all three, Pouncey hopes to make the most of the opportunity and prove that he can be a franchise cornerstone, as James Walker of ESPN.com details. “I would hope that anybody else wouldn’t doubt that,” Pouncey said of his leadership. “The work ethic I put in, the way these guys on this football team look at me, they all know I’m the leader they want me to be. So my main focus is to be the best leader I can be.”
- First-round defensive tackle Dominique Easley and the Patriots were closing in on a contract last week, but talks have hit a snag, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Although most draftees come to terms pretty quickly, discussions are a little more extensive for first-round picks, who have to negotiate offset language and guaranteed money. Easley is also coming off an ACL tear, which may complicate talks.
- Billionaire developer Donald Trump is maintaining his interest in making a bid for the Bills, suggesting today that he expects to be involved in the sale process. “We are going to put in a bid,” Trump said, according to Jerry Zremski of the Buffalo News. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in Buffalo. If the price isn’t the right price, then I won’t get it, and I won’t be ashamed of it … But if I get it, I think I’ll probably do a good job.”
Chiefs Rumors: Houston, Flowers, Alex Smith
The Chiefs’ OTAs got underway today, and a couple of notable players weren’t in attendance. Here are more details on that story, along with a couple more updates out of Kansas City:
- Justin Houston and Brandon Flowers weren’t present today when the Chiefs’ OTAs got underway, reports Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter). Houston, who has recorded 21 total sacks in the last two seasons and is on the books for a base salary of just $1.4MM in 2014, is looking for a new contract, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The 25-year-old is entering the last year of his rookie deal, so the Chiefs will likely be interested in working something out if they can.
- As for Flowers, Paylor isn’t sure why he’s not in attendance, since he’s owed $30MM over the next three years (Twitter link). The cornerback has been the subject of trade rumors lately and there have been rumblings that his style of play may not fit into what Kansas City is trying to do on defense, so perhaps he’s seeking clarification about an uncertain future.
- Appearing on the NFL Network today, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said the team is in “open communication” with Alex Smith about a new contract and that he’s confident that something will get done (Twitter link via Marc Sessler of NFL.com). However, Paylor hears something a little different about the extension negotiations, tweeting that a source says contract talks have been “almost nonexistent” within the last few months.
- The Chiefs have signed offensive lineman Ryan McKee, who participated in the club’s rookie minicamp, tweets Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. Offensive guard Chandler Burden was cut to clear room for McKee.
Alex Boone Seeking New Contract
Having not yet participated in the team’s voluntary offseason workouts, 49ers guard Alex Boone also wasn’t in attendance at today’s OTAs and is seeking a new contract, according to Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. Boone’s current deal runs through the 2015 season, but will only pay him about $3.7MM over the next two seasons.
Considering the sort of contracts guards of his caliber signed for in free agency a couple months ago, Boone represents one of the league’s better bargains, at a base salary of $2MM in 2014 and just $1.2MM in 2015. While Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) graded the 27-year-old as a middle-of-the-pack starting guard in 2013, Boone ranked third overall in 2012, and has posted excellent run-blocking marks in both of his seasons as a Niners starter.
Boone has workout bonuses worth $50K this season, so he’d be sacrificing some pay if he continues to sit out of San Francisco’s offseason workouts. Considering how much depth the Niners have at the interior line positions, the team may not feel a ton of pressure to make a big offer to its starting right guard, but I wouldn’t be surprised the two sides to negotiate a modest raise for Boone at some point before training camp.
Still, players like Colin Kaepernick, Michael Crabtree, and Mike Iupati are viewed as higher priority extension candidates, and it remains to be seen how much long-term cap flexibility the Niners will have if they hammer out new deals with all those players. As Williamson notes, Boone’s agents, Neil Schwartz and Jonathan Feinsod, have had multiple clients hold out in the past, so this will be an interesting situation to watch over the next few weeks.
Minor Moves: 49ers, Jags, Dolphins, Pats
We’ll round up several of Tuesday’s minor moves in this post, including a handful of signings and cuts, plus one draftee inking his new rookie contract. Following Memorial Day weekend, here are a handful of today’s transactions:
- The 49ers made a series of roster moves today, signing former Stanford linebacker Chase Thomas and USC tight end Kevin Greene. To clear room on the roster for the new additions, the club waived-injured offensive tackle Luke Marquardt and waived linebacker Morgan Breslin with a non-football injury designation.
- Fifth-round linebacker Telvin Smith signed his rookie contract with the Jaguars today, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. As our tracker shows, the Florida State product becomes the fifth of nine Jacksonville draftees to sign.
- The Dolphins have added three players to their 90-man roster, signing offensive linemen Samuel Longo and Michael Philipp and defensive tackle Micajah Reynolds, the team announced today (via Twitter). None of the three players have any regular-season NFL experience, though the two linemen spent a little time with the Browns and Reynolds was previously on the Saints’ roster.
- A pair of rookie free agents, Troy State’s Wilson Van Hooser and East Carolina’s Reese Wiggins, have signed deals with the Patriots, the club announced in a press release. The two receivers occupy the final spots on New England’s roster, which is now full at 90 players.
- Former UTEP linebacker Horace Miller, who tried out for the Seahawks at their rookie minicamp last week, is practicing today with the team, which presumably makes him the final addition to the 90-man roster, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter).
Roddy White Extension Expected By Camp
Roddy White and the Falcons had been hoping to hammer out a new contract for the veteran receiver following the draft, but a life situation has put those talks on hold, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. White’s half-brother Tyron Moore Jr. was fatally shot on May 17, and neither the player nor the team feel comfortable negotiating a deal so soon after Moore’s passing.
Still, with White entering the final year of his contract, the two sides are expected to revisit the subject a little later in the offseason. Rapoport writes that an extension is expected to be finalized in time for training camp, and points to Brandon Marshall‘s new three-year, $30MM deal as a potential point of comparison.
After citing Marshall’s deal, Rapoport concedes that the Bears star is a couple years younger than White, which figures to be reflected in their respective contracts. Marshall is also coming off two of his best seasons, while White was slowed by injuries last season and caught just 63 balls for 711 yards, his lowest marks since the 2006 season. As ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure detailed earlier in May, a better comparable for White may be Reggie Wayne, who signed a three-year, $17.5MM extension with the Colts at age 33 — White turns 33 this fall.
Last week, Falcons owner Arthur Blank expressed optimism that White and fellow wideout Julio Jones spend their entire careers in Atlanta, so the team figures to eventually shift its attention to an extension for Jones. The former sixth overall pick is currently under contract through 2015, after the Falcons exercised his fifth-year option for that season.
South Notes: Saints, Titans, Texans, Wharton
Chris Broadwater, a member of Louisiana’s House of Representatives and the sponsor of a piece of legislation which would have reduced compensatory benefits for Saints players injured during the offseason, has pulled his support for the bill, writes Emily Lane of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. The announcement comes mere hours before several Saints players were planning to show up at Louisiana State Capitol to express their opposition.
While the development is good news for the NFLPA, Broadwater still hopes that the Saints and the players are able to reach an agreement on workers compensation benefits on their own. As Lane explains, the legislation aimed to “calculate workers’ compensation benefits for professional athletes based only on weekly earnings at the time of the injury, rather than based on average weekly earnings over the entire year.” However, the Saints have indicated they’re willing to compromise on the matter, and discussions are already underway about a solution.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two South divisions:
- Veteran Titans tackle Michael Roos said today that he’s “here for one more year” in Tennessee, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (Twitter link). That quote makes it sound like an extension isn’t on the horizon for Roos, which perhaps isn’t surprising considering the club signed Michael Oher to a four-year deal in free agency and selected Taylor Lewan 11th overall in the draft.
- Also at Titans OTAs, Jake Locker said that he spoke to management before the draft and was assured that the club wouldn’t draft a quarterback early (Twitter link via Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com). In a follow-up tweet, ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan notes that the Titans looked at Zach Mettenberger in the fourth round, so perhaps that’s the earliest point that a signal-caller was considered. Tennessee ultimately landed Mettenberger in the sixth round.
- As expected, Texans wideout Andre Johnson missed the club’s first OTAs today, writes Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle.
- Travelle Wharton, a longtime Panthers offensive lineman who is currently a free agent, continues to sound as if he’s leaning toward retirement, says Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer, passing along quotes from Wharton’s appearance on a Panthers.com podcast.
Eagles Sign Second-Rounder Jordan Matthews
The Eagles have signed their sixth of seven draft picks, according to the team, which announced today in a press release that second-round receiver Jordan Matthews has put pen to paper. Matthews’ deal means that first-rounder Marcus Smith is the only Philadelphia draftee who has yet to sign.
The 42nd overall pick earlier this month, Matthews figures to step in right away and contribute to a group of wideouts that also includes Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper. With DeSean Jackson no longer on the roster, there should be a few more targets to go around in 2014, and the Vanderbilt receiver will be in line for many of them.
According to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap, Matthews’ four-year deal has a base value of about $4.949MM, including a signing bonus worth approximately $1.919MM.
Ravens Sign C.J. Mosley
The Ravens have locked up their first-round pick, the team confirmed today, announcing in a press release that linebacker C.J. Mosley has signed his rookie deal. As a first-rounder, Mosley will be under contract for four years, with Baltimore holding a club option on his fifth year.
Mosley, who turns 22 next month, was selected 17th overall by the Ravens after playing four years at Alabama. The two-time consensus All-American should receive a signing bonus worth about $4.711MM and a contract with a four-year base value in the neighborhood of $8.788MM, according to Jason Fitzgerald’s figures at Over The Cap.
Now that they’ve secured Mosley, the Ravens have just one more draftee to sign, as our tracker shows. Third-round safety Terrence Brooks is the only Baltimore pick who has yet to reach an agreement with the club.
Extension Candidate Series
The bulk of free agency is behind us, but many of 2014’s biggest contracts could still be on the way. There are a number of players who have one or two years left on their contracts whose teams will want to lock them up before they’re eligible for free agency, and many of them will sign extensions over the next few weeks and months.
At Pro Football Rumors, we’ll look to cast a spotlight on several of these players, writing pieces that focus on many of the more notable extension candidates out there. These players won’t necessarily ink new deals before the regular season gets underway, or even before they hit free agency, but their clubs will at least want to discuss the idea, and we’ll examine what sort of contracts they might be in line for.
Our Extension Candidate series is already underway, and we’ll be adding plenty more installments to it in the near future. You can find this index at any time on the right-hand sidebar under “PFR Features” to follow the latest. Here’s our complete list so far:
- Cliff Avril (Seahawks): Extended
- Dez Bryant (Cowboys)
- Charles Clay (Dolphins)
- Randall Cobb (Packers)
- Michael Crabtree (49ers)
- Andy Dalton (Bengals): Extended
- Marcus Gilbert (Steelers): Extended
- Jermaine Gresham (Bengals)
- Jim Harbaugh (49ers)
- Brian Hoyer (Browns)
- Mark Ingram (Saints)
- Mike Iupati (49ers)
- Jeremy Maclin (Eagles)
- Devin McCourty (Patriots)
- Gerald McCoy (Buccaneers): Extended
- Von Miller (Broncos)
- Jordy Nelson (Packers): Extended
- Cam Newton (Panthers)
- Carson Palmer (Cardinals): Extended
- Patrick Peterson (Cardinals): Extended
- Maurkice Pouncey (Steelers): Extended
- Kyle Rudolph (Vikings): Extended
- Alex Smith (Chiefs): Extended
- Jimmy Smith (Ravens)
- Torrey Smith (Ravens)
- Tyron Smith (Cowboys): Extended
- Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
- Julius Thomas (Broncos)
- Justin Tucker (Ravens)
- Roddy White (Falcons): Extended
Cowboys Notes: QBs, Malena, Crawford
With Kyle Orton seemingly leaning toward retirement, the Cowboys’ depth chart at quarterback could be awfully thin this season behind Tony Romo. Brandon Weeden would likely to slide into the No. 2 role, with Caleb Hanie in the mix as well. The Cowboys could have provided themselves with another insurance policy for a Romo injury and/or Orton retirement if they’d elected to select a quarterback a signal-caller in the draft, but as Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes, the team’s draft philosophy precluded that possibility at this point. Whereas a team like the Patriots has drafted quarterbacks as potential long-term replacements for Tom Brady, Dallas has been less inclined in recent years to draft a QB only to develop that player for another team.
Here’s more on the Cowboys:
- Texas A&M running back Ben Malena received offers from more than 10 NFL teams after going undrafted, including the Texans, Bengals, Redskins, Broncos, and Raiders, but ultimately chose to sign with the Cowboys, as he explains to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “I looked over their current situation,” Malena said. “They had high interest in me. I feel like I can really make this team. I feel like I can really be a contributing factor to help this team win championships.”
- In a photo gallery for the Dallas Morning News, Machota examines 10 questions the Cowboys need to answer as OTAs get underway.
- Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News takes a look at why many observers – and teammates – believe defensive end Tyrone Crawford could be the Cowboys’ breakout player in 2014.
- In a piece for Sports on Earth, Mike Tanier explains his “Hope Index,” which evaluates the optimism a team’s fanbase should feel based on its recent success and how sustainable that success looks going forward. The Cowboys didn’t make out so well in Tanier’s calculations, ranking 26th, just one spot ahead of the Jaguars.