Rashean Mathis Announces Retirement
MARCH 2: The Lions have officially placed Mathis on the reserve/retired list, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).
FEBRUARY 16: Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson is reportedly leaning toward retirement, and the team will also see a veteran starter on the other side of the ball call it a career. Detroit cornerback Rashean Mathis told Tori Petry of DetroitLions.com (video link) that he has decided to “hang up the cleats,” and his agent has since congratulated him on his NFL career (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Calvin Johnson likely to retire]
“I’ve been teetering on the fence the last few years,” Mathis said. “I wanted to finish healthy. I wanted to finish on a good note. It was a little sour, my last year in Jacksonville [since] I was coming off an ACL injury, and I think my last three years in Detroit have been amazing…. Being with [Jim] Caldwell for the last two years, I couldn’t ask for anything more to go off on a happy ending.”
Mathis, 35, entered the NFL in 2003 as the 39th overall pick out of Bethune-Cookman. The cornerback spent the first decade of his career with the Jaguars, earning his lone Pro Bowl nod and All-Pro spot in 2006 when he recorded a career-high eight interceptions and 21 passes defended.
Over the course of his 13-year career, Mathis appeared in a total of 175 regular-season games – including 137 for Jacksonville – and totaled 32 interceptions. Although Mathis’ final season with Detroit was cut short by concussion issues, he played a key role on the 2014 squad that earned a playoff berth.
Mathis’ contract with the Lions had featured a $500K roster bonus due to be paid in March, as well as a $1MM base salary for 2016. The team will no longer be on the hook for that money, but will still carry a $375K cap charge on its books for the veteran defensive back this year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Ravens Re-Sign Albert McClellan
WEDNESDAY, 4:37pm: McClellan’s deal is worth $3.75MM over three years, according to Zreibec (on Twitter). It includes a $600K signing bonus.
TUESDAY, 2:02pm: McClellan’s new deal will be a three-year pact and will feature a signing bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
TUESDAY, 1:33pm: The Ravens are re-signing linebacker and special-teamer Albert McClellan, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Zrebiec is unsure of the terms of McClellan’s new deal, but tweets that it will be a multiyear agreement.
An undrafted free agent, McClellan joined the Ravens in 2011, and has spent the last five seasons with the team. Although the Marshall alum started 11 games at linebacker in 2012, recording 42 tackles, a sack, and a pair of fumble recoveries, he has primarily been a depth piece on defense during his time in Baltimore, contributing mostly on special teams.
In 2015, McClellan played just 161 defensive snaps for the Ravens, despite the fact that starting outside linebacker Terrell Suggs missed nearly the entire season with an Achilles injury. Still, Zrebiec tweets that Ravens coaches love McClellan, regarding him as a “very valuable” special-teamer and backup linebacker.
McClellan, who is coming off a two-year, $2.2MM contract, had been eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason. He figures to return on a new deal that matches or – more likely – exceeds his previous $1.1MM annual salary.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC Notes: Coughlin, Peppers, 49ers, Cooper
When Tom Coughlin‘s departure as Giants head coach was announced in January, it was classified as a resignation. At the time though, it was considered more of a firing, with most observers believing that the team would have made a change if Coughlin had been unwilling to step down. The veteran head coach insinuated as much during an appearance on the Jay Mohr Show on FOX Sports Radio, per John Healy of the New York Daily News.
“Hey, do I agree with the move? Of course not,” Coughlin said. “It hurts. It hurts. ‘Former’ is not a good word. I don’t like the word but that’s the way it is.”
As Coughlin continues to consider his next career move, whether that involves joining the Giants’ front office, waiting on another head coaching job, or simply retiring, let’s check out a few more odds and ends from around the NFC…
- Julius Peppers acknowledges that within “the next four years, somewhere in there,” he’ll be calling it a career, but that won’t happen this offseason, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press details. The veteran edge defender plans to play for the Packers in 2016, and based on a February report, it sounds like the club will welcome him back for the final year of his contract.
- In Jerry Jones‘ ideal world, the Cowboys would have the same sort of handoff from Tony Romo to their next QB that the Packers did they had Aaron Rodgers ready to replace Brett Favre. Todd Archer of ESPN.com has the details and the quotes from the Cowboys’ owner.
- Bill Williamson of FanRag Sports (Twitter link) is hearing that the 49ers won’t be shy about spending money during the free agent period next week. Williamson identifies cornerback Sean Smith, running back Doug Martin, and offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele as possible targets for San Francisco.
- The 49ers reworked tackle Joe Staley‘s contract today, converting $4MM into a signing bonus, per ESPN’s Dianna Marie Russini (via Twitter). However, the move was procedural and won’t change the club’s cash or cap outlook for 2016, a source tells Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.om (Twitter link). Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap examined Staley’s unusual bonus situation last April, and that explanation looks relevant once again.
- The Cardinals are considering moving Jonathan Cooper to center, Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 reports (on Twitter). Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport confirm Arizona’s plans for their thus-far-disappointing lineman here (Twitter links). Cooper’s made just 11 regular-season starts at guard since being drafted by the Cardinals at No. 7 overall in 2013. A knee injury shelved Cooper last season after he made nine starts, and Ted Larsen supplanted him in the Cardinals’ lineup. Larsen is a free agent, as is Lyle Sendlein, who’s started 124 games at center for Arizona since 2007.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report
Washington Puts Franchise Tag On Kirk Cousins
WEDNESDAY, 3:14pm: Cousins plans to sign his franchise tender potentially as soon as this afternoon, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). This would represent a stark contrast from the approaches of last year’s crop of tagged players.
TUESDAY, 2:30pm: Washington has officially filed the paperwork for Cousins’ franchise tag, reports Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
TUESDAY, 12:11pm: Washington will place the franchise tag on quarterback Kirk Cousins in advance of today’s 3:00pm central time deadline, reports Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan (Twitter links). According to Paulsen, Cousins will be receiving the non-exclusive franchise tag from the team.
[RELATED: PFR previews Washington’s offseason]
The non-exclusive franchise tag for quarterbacks is worth $19.953MM. While that’s about $2.3MM more expensive than the transition tag, Washington apparently decided that it wasn’t worth the risk to potentially lose its starting quarterback without receiving any compensation any return. The transition tag only would have given the team the right of first refusal.
If a rival suitor wants to sign Cousins to an offer sheet after he has been franchised, that club would have to be willing to give up two first-round picks to land him, so the 27-year-old appears likely to remain in D.C., either on a one-year franchise tender or a longer-term deal. The two sides will have until July 15th to work out a multiyear extension.
Cousins became Washinton’s full-time starting quarterback for the first time last season, earning 16 of his 25 career starts in 2015. The four-year veteran finished the regular season on a tear, completing 74% of his passes for nearly 1,200 yards, 12 touchdowns, and a 134.0 quarterback rating over the final four weeks of the year.
That end-of-season run helped Cousins cement his standing as a quarterback Washington couldn’t afford to lose, but his first 12 games weren’t too bad either. For the season, Cousins thew 29 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, led the league in completion percentage (69.8%), and helped Washington win its first division title since 2012.
As I observed last week in my preview of Washington’s offseason last week, Cousins’ breakout season put the franchise in a difficult spot. The signal-caller’s lack of a track record will likely make GM Scot McCloughan and the rest of the front office hesitant to offer a lucrative, multiyear deal this offseason. However, Washington couldn’t let Cousins reach the open market, where there may have been multiple QB-needy teams ready to make him that kind of long-term offer.
Assigning the franchise tag to Cousins provides Washington with a short-term fix. McCloughan and his team can either work on getting a long-term extension completed with Cousins at a price they’re comfortable with, or have him play out the 2016 season on a one-year franchise deal, giving the club a better sense of his value by 2017.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
49ers To Re-Sign Shaun Draughn
The 49ers have reached an agreement with running back Shaun Draughn on a one-year contract, agent Sean Stellato tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The deal comes less than a week after new Niners head coach Chip Kelly said he’d like to re-sign Draughn.
[RELATED: 49ers sign DT Quinton Dial to extension]
Draughn, 28, started the season with the Browns and finished it on the 49ers’ injured reserve list. In between though, he acted as San Francisco’s feature back for six games when Carlos Hyde was injured. In those six contests, Draughn ran for 263 yards and a touchdown on 76 carries, adding another 175 yards through the air on 25 catches.
Draughn had been eligible for restricted free agency, so the one-year deal with the 49ers makes sense. The short-term pact will allow the running back to become eligible for unrestricted free agency next winter.
While the financial terms of Draughn’s new contract aren’t yet known, a number to keep in mind is $1.671MM — that’s the value of this year’s low-end RFA tender, which the team would have had to assign to the North Carolina product before next Wednesday to keep him from becoming an unrestricted free agent. We’ll have to wait to see how the value of Draughn’s one-year pact compares to that figure.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Alex Mack Open To Return To Browns
Browns center Alex Mack voided the final three years on his contract today, opting out of the deal for the opportunity to explore the free agent market next week. However, even though Mack could sign with another team seven days from now, he hasn’t ruled out a return to Cleveland, as agent Tim Younger tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
“We view Alex’s decision to void as procedural,” Younger said. “[The opt-out] was built into his contract to afford him maximum flexibility. For the first time in his career, he will be experiencing true free agency. Although we anticipate interest from multiple teams, he was very impressed with Hue Jackson and returning to the Browns certainly remains on the table.”
According to Cabot, about six to eight teams are expected to have serious interest in Mack, who looks like the top center on the free agent market and will aim to exceed $10MM+ per year on a new deal. As I wrote earlier today, when Mack’s decision was first reported, the Jaguars figure to top that list of potential suitors — it was Jacksonville that signed the veteran center to an offer sheet two years ago, when he last hit the market. Since the Browns had used the transition tag on Mack, Cleveland was able to match the Jags’ offer sheet.
The Browns won’t hold the right of first refusal on Mack this time around, but Cabot suggests that the pending free agent may give the team the opportunity to match or exceed offers he receives from rival suitors. Mack paid a visit to Cleveland a couple weeks ago to meet with the team’s new brain trust, and came away impressed, a source tells Cabot. The Cleveland.com scribe adds (via Twitter) that she genuinely believes, after speaking to Younger today, that Mack would like to remain with the Browns if the two sides can work something out.
If Mack does end up signing elsewhere, the Browns may elevate 2015 first-rounder Cameron Erving to the starting center job rather than signing a veteran to fill the role. That way, the team could focus on fortifying the rest of its line, and potentially re-signing right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, another free-agent-to-be.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Franchise Rumors: Miller, Cousins, Norman
As we outlined shortly after Tuesday’s deadline, 10 NFL teams used their franchise or transition tags this year to secure at least the right of first refusal for potential free agents. While there’s no pressure on those players to sign those franchise or transition tenders anytime soon, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported earlier today that at least one or two players, including Bills tackle Cordy Glenn, could sign those tenders sooner rather than later.
Signing a franchise tender ensures that a player is guaranteed his 2016 salary, and prevents the team from rescinding the offer down the road. It also precludes the player from exploring the market to see if there are any teams willing to sign him to an offer sheet, but there would be nothing stopping the player from continuing to work on an extension with his own team, prior to the July 15th deadline.
As we wait to see if any franchised players sign their tenders today, let’s round up a few items of interest relating to this year’s group of tag recipients…
- Von Miller, the only player to receive an exclusive franchise tag before Tuesday’s deadline, is willing to take a “discount” on a long-term contract with the Broncos, says Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter links). As Breer points out though, it’s not clear whether Miller’s discount would apply to Ndamukong Suh‘s $19MM annual rate, or to Miller’s actual market value, which could exceed $20MM per year, according to rival executives. If the star pass rusher is only willing to accept less than his market value, that would still likely mean an average salary in the $18-19MM range.
- Washington‘s long-term contract offers to quarterback Kirk Cousins have exceeded $16MM per year, according to Breer (Twitter links). However, Cousins’ camp is aiming for an annual average closer to the franchise-tag salary ($19.953MM). Still, Washington’s starting quarterback plans on signing his tender and reporting to offseason activities while the two sides continue to work on a multiyear extension.
- Before the 2015 season began, the Panthers offered Josh Norman a five-year contract worth about $7.5MM annually, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Needless to say, Norman’s price has gone up significantly since then, with Person suggesting the veteran cornerback is seeking a deal that exceeds $14MM per year. Norman’s franchise-tag salary is $13.952MM.
Titans, Brice McCain Agree To Deal
The Titans have agreed to terms with free agent cornerback Brice McCain, according to agent David Canter (via Twitter). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that McCain will be signing a two-year, $5MM contract with Tennessee.
[RELATED: Titans re-sign tight end Craig Stevens]
McCain, 29, signed with the Dolphins last March after spending five seasons in Houston and one in Pittsburgh. He started 10 games and played 735 defensive snaps for the Dolphins in 2015, picking up an interception to go along with 39 tackles. However, McCain lasted just one season with the team, as Miami opted to part ways with him last week in order to create $2.5MM in cap savings.
As PFR’s Dallas Robinson wrote in his preview of the Titans’ offseason last month, cornerback will be an area the team figures to prioritize this winter. Dallas suggested that it might be worthwhile for Tennessee to spend big at the position in free agency, and while McCain is hardly the big-money signing we envisioned, his addition doesn’t preclude the club from pursuing other corners next week.
Prior to agreeing to a deal with the Titans, McCain paid a visit to Tennessee, and also met with the Buccaneers. The Steelers were said to have interest in hosting McCain for a visit as well, though it doesn’t appear that he made it to Pittsburgh.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Alex Mack Opts Out Of Contract
Browns center Alex Mack has decided to opt out of his contract, voiding the final three years of his deal, reports Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. Mack is now eligible to hit the open market next week, though it’s still possible he’ll work out a new agreement with the Browns to remain in Cleveland.
Mack, 30, has been one of the NFL’s most reliable centers since he entered the league in 2009. The veteran lineman has been Cleveland’s full-time starter since joining the team, starting all 16 regular-season games for the franchise in all but one of his seven NFL seasons. He has also earned three Pro Bowl nods.
Two years ago, when Mack first became eligible for free agency, the Browns used their transition tag on the center, who then signed a five-year, $42MM offer sheet with the Jaguars. Cleveland ultimately took advantage of the right of first refusal and matched the offer, but since the language of the contract included an opt-out for this winter, it was essentially a two-year deal rather than a five-year pact.
The timing of Mack’s decision comes as no surprise — the deadline for him to opt out was this coming Friday, March 4th. However, if he had opted out before Tuesday at 3:00pm central time, the Browns would still have the option to use a franchise or transition tag on him. As such, Mack had always been expected to take advantage of his opt-out during this window.
Since he had three years and $24MM remaining on his now-voided contract, Mack figures to aim to exceed those figures on the open market, or in a new deal with Cleveland. The Jaguars will be one suitor to watch, since Jacksonville still has a ton of cap room and a hole at center. But there should be no shortage of teams with interest in Mack, particularly since this year’s free agent market isn’t exactly overflowing with centers capable of starting.
With Mack now a week away from hitting the open market, the Browns risk losing two solid starters on their offensive line. Right tackle Mitchell Schwartz is also eligible for unrestricted free agency, and is expected to gauge his value around the league next week. While one or both linemen could ultimately re-sign with Cleveland, it’s worth noting that Browns personnel head Sashi Brown said last week that if the team were to work out a new contract with Mack, it would likely happen before the center’s opt-out deadline.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
AFC Notes: Aiken, Glenn, Fins, Texans, Jets
On the surface, it looks like a no-brainer decision for the Ravens to assign wide receiver Kamar Aiken a second-round RFA tender, but the franchise has been willing to roll the dice on the low-end tender for restricted free agents in the past, and could use all the cap space they can get this offseason, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
If the Ravens use the second-round tender (worth $2.553MM), they would be entitled to a second-round pick if Aiken signs elsewhere. The low-end tender ($1.671MM) would only give Baltimore the right of first refusal, with no potential compensation.
With Aiken coming off a 75-catch breakout season, it probably makes sense for the Ravens to pull the trigger on the second-round tender — there’s a dearth of talent on the wide receiver market this offseason, and Baltimore risks losing Aiken or paying him even more if a rival team signs him to an offer sheet.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- It wouldn’t be a surprise if one or more franchised players – including Bills tackle Cordy Glenn – sign their tenders by the end of the day, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
- Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald takes a detailed look at the Dolphins‘ plan to improve their defense this offseason, noting that the team would like to add starters at linebacker (preferably MLB), cornerback, and safety, while also picking up a run-stopping defensive end. Miami’s limited flexibility will make it a little tricky to add viable starters at all those spots, though the team figures to use the No. 8 overall pick in the draft to address at least one if its defensive needs.
- With Arian Foster expected to be cut in the near future, the Texans will need to explore free agency and the draft for a potential solution at running back, writes John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. In McClain’s view, it might make more sense for the club to sign a veteran free agent rather than counting on finding a starter in the draft.
- Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News field Jets-related inquiries in his latest mailbag, writing that he doesn’t expect the club to draft running back Ezekiel Elliott, and noting that GMs around the league are skeptical that any team would give up a first-round pick in a trade for Muhammad Wilkerson.