AFC East Notes: Wells Report, Patriots, Jets
Ted Wells and the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP have released their report on the Dolphins‘ bullying scandal, and their findings can be found right here. If you don’t have time to read the full, 140-page report, here’s the abridged version: While Richie Incognito promised that the truth would “bury” Jonathan Martin, the Wells report certainly doesn’t do that, instead emphatically rejecting “any suggestion that Martin manufactured claims of abuse after the fact to cover up an impetuous decision to leave the team.” That decision to leave the team was indeed “the result of persistent bullying and harassment by some of his teammates,” according to the report.
Here’s more on the Dolphins and the rest of the AFC East:
- In addition to implicating Incognito, the Wells report also suggests that fellow linemen Mike Pouncey and John Jerry participated in “a pattern of harassment” directed at Martin, another young offensive lineman, and an assistant trainer. Considering the Dolphins seem intent on washing their hands of the situation by moving on from Incognito and Martin, it stands to reason that Pouncey and Jerry may not return to the team either.
- The Dolphins and the league both released statements following the publication of the report indicating that they’re looking into the matter further.
- Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald attempts to determine the best route for improving the Patriots’ wide receiving group, ultimately suggesting that re-signing Julian Edelman and perhaps adding another free agent makes more sense than targeting receivers in the draft.
- While Rex Ryan‘s Jets typically acquires safeties on the cheap, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com believes it’s time for the team to start investing a little more money into the position.
Dave Tollefson Announces Retirement
Former Giants defensive end Dave Tollefson has announced his retirement, as Michael Eisen of Giants.com details. Although the former seventh-round pick had been a free agent, having not played during the 2013 season, he chose to announce his retirement through the Giants, the team with which he won two Super Bowls.
Tollefson was active for 63 games for the Giants in five seasons from 2007 to 2011. As a part-time defensive end behind players like Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora, he recorded 58 total tackles and 10 sacks for the club during that stretch. In the 2012 offseason, Tollefson signed a two-year, $2.5MM contract with the Raiders, but only lasted one season in Oakland before the team released him last March.
At 32 years old, Tollefson is still relatively young, though he tells Eisen that he’s not quite sure yet what the next stage of his career holds.
“I have a couple surgeries lined up,” Tollefson said. “I have to get some stuff taken care of physically, but right now, it’s kind of up in the air. I’m looking at it as a little bit of a halftime for me. I had this great game plan for the first half of my life and it worked out great, playing pro football and everything, but now the game has changed a little bit, so I have to re-adjust.”
NFC West Notes: Williams, 49ers, Cardinals
The Rams introduced new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams at a press conference this morning, as Jonathan Webb of StLouisRams.com details. However, our afternoon NFC West roundup focuses on a pair of St. Louis’ division rivals. Here’s the latest:
- As we heard last night, the 49ers and Anquan Boldin have mutual interest in working out a new deal, but that’s just one of the top items on the team’s offseason to-do list, says Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to Florio, San Francisco’s other top two priorities involving locking up head coach Jim Harbaugh and extending quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The Niners’ offseason plans figure to come into better focus after next week’s scouting combine, a source tells Florio.
- Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee provides an update on the 49ers‘ new stadium, which is approximately 80% complete and on track to be ready for use by August.
- General manager Steve Keim and the Cardinals are in the process of putting together a top 100 board for free agents, similar to the kind of board teams compile for the draft, writes Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. Urban’s piece includes several interesting quotes from Keim on Arizona’s approach to roster building and the club’s long-term plan.
- Keim on building the Cardinals‘ roster: “We have to constantly look at it with a three-year view. How certain things affect what we can do with Patrick [Peterson], how some of the other young players fit, and [that] we might have to make some tough decisions. Not this year, but we have talked about where we will have to make tough decisions after 2014 and 2015. If you look at the big picture and you look at it with a three-year view, you have a chance to sustain success instead of having so many peaks and valleys.”
Free Agent Market For Running Backs
In recent years, many NFL teams have moved away from an offensive game plan that predominantly involves one feature back, instead choosing to rotate two or three backs in and out of the lineup. Several of the league’s most dangerous offenses over the last few seasons, including those in New England and New Orleans, have relied on multiple backs, without any one player racking up huge yardage.
That’s not to say that there aren’t still running backs capable of carrying the ball 300+ times in a season, but the position has increasingly become one that teams feel they can fill without landing a big-name player. No running backs are expected to be selected in the first round of this year’s draft, and the one major trade for a back consummated during the 2013 season (the Colts giving up a 2014 first-round pick for Trent Richardson) turned into something of a cautionary tale when Richardson struggled to produce in Indianapolis.
Nonetheless, teams still need to fill the position somehow, and with many intriguing players set to hit free agency this offseason, it could be a buyer’s market for running backs. The Broncos, Raiders, Patriots, Jaguars, Colts, and Giants are among the teams whose most productive backs are pending free agents, while the list of other clubs who could explore upgrades at the position includes the Dolphins, Browns, Titans, and Falcons. Here’s a breakdown of which players might be on their shopping lists:
First tier:
Maurice Jones-Drew and Darren McFadden are perhaps the most noteworthy names in this year’s group — MJD led the league in rushing as recently as the 2011 season, and McFadden is a former fourth overall pick and is still just 26 years old. Still, both players had disappointing walk years, with injuries playing a role in both cases. That’s a familiar theme for McFadden, who has never played a full season, and it’s also becoming increasingly common for Jones-Drew, who appeared in just six 2012 games before being plagued by nagging injuries in 2013. Both players offer tantalizing upside and should still have something left in the tank, but they’ll need to be paired with solid second and third options in order to keep their workloads in check.
Rashad Jennings, MJD’s former backup in Jacksonville and McFadden’s replacement in Oakland for much of the 2013 season, averaged 4.5 yards per carry and filled in admirably for McFadden with the Raiders. While he may not be relied upon to be a No. 1 back, he’d make an excellent No. 2. The same could be said for Joique Bell, who had an excellent season in Detroit sharing backfield duties with Reggie Bush. Among this year’s free agent backs, none ranked higher according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics than Bell (ninth), though he’ll be a restricted FA and has conveyed a strong desire to re-sign with the Lions.
LeGarrette Blount, Knowshon Moreno, and Donald Brown weren’t expected to carry the loads for their respective clubs when the 2013 season opened, but by January, they were the No. 1 backs for three of the AFC’s top four teams. None of them are older than 27, so they should do well on the open market, though their potential earnings vary. I expect Moreno, who has the strongest career resumé overall, to land the biggest contract of the three, while Brown will likely sign the most modest deal. Brown only assumed the top role in Indianapolis due to Ahmad Bradshaw‘s neck injury and Richardson’s ineffectiveness, and is likely to return to No. 2 duties wherever he ends up in 2014.
Finally, while he’s not currently eligible for free agency in 2014, Chris Johnson is very likely to be released by the Titans. Johnson’s production has certainly slowed down since he rushed for over 2000 yards in 2009, but he has still recorded six consecutive seasons of 1000+ rushing yards since entering the league, and could benefit from a change of scenery.
Second tier:
Injuries in 2013 limited the likelihood of Ben Tate or Andre Brown landing big contracts this offseason, but both players have the potential to match or surpass the production of any of the running backs listed among the first-tier options. Although Tate has been stuck behind Arian Foster in Houston for the last several seasons, he’s believed to have the talent to be an NFL starter, and could get that opportunity in 2014, depending on where he lands. Brown, meanwhile, has flashed a ton of promise during the last two seasons with the Giants, but didn’t take full advantage of his opportunity to start in 2013, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry on 139 attempts.
While Tate and Brown are still fairly young, with their best years potentially ahead of them, many of the other names in this group will draw interest because of performances in years past. Rashard Mendenhall and Peyton Hillis had their best seasons in 2010, but were seeing significant action up until last year, and should be able to land backup roles. Meanwhile, Willis McGahee started six games in 2013 for the Browns, and turned in a career-worst 2.7 yards per carry. That performance could make it an uphill battle to land a backup role in 2014, but considering McGahee reportedly wants to play for several more seasons, he at least believes he has something left in the tank.
James Starks should also draw interest in a part-time role, as he’s coming off the best season of his four-year career, averaging 5.5 yards per carry and racking up nearly 500 rushing yards for the Packers.
The rest:
Every year, we see non-descript backs take advantage of openings created by injuries or poor performance, so it’s likely that at least one or two names in this group will make some noise next season. The rest of the names on the 2014 free agent list include longtime backups like Anthony Dixon and Toby Gerhart, who have been stuck behind Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson respectively for the last several seasons.
There are also former starters such as Ronnie Brown, Felix Jones, and Bradshaw, who aren’t likely to return to a starting role anytime soon. Throw in solid part-timers such as Jonathan Dwyer and Jackie Battle, and return specialists like Leon Washington, and there should be plenty of options available on the free agent market for teams who don’t want to use draft picks to fill out their backfields.
Previously:
Free Agent Market For Quarterbacks
Packers Sign Raymond Webber
The Packers have officially signed tight end Raymond Webber to a reserve/futures contract, the team announced today in a press release. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but it figures to be a minimum salary contract, likely without any guaranteed money included.
Webber signed in 2011 with the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent, and spent the season with the team on injured reserve. The Arkansas Pine-Bluff product has since spent time in training camps with the Jets and the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders, but has yet to appear in an NFL game.
Extra Points: Verner, Flynn, Clowney, Farmer
Coming off his rookie contract, Pro Bowl cornerback Alterraun Verner is set to hit the open market next month, and Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean believes it may be difficult for the Titans to lock him up before March 11 (Twitter link). According to Wyatt (via Twitter), there has been “little to no movement” in talks between the two sides so far, though they’ll likely meet at next week’s scouting combine. After snatching five interceptions and defending 23 passes in 2013, Verner will be in line for a nice raise on 2013’s $1.32MM base salary, meaning he could be looking forward to gauging his value on the open market.
Let’s round up a few more Thursday items from around the NFL….
- New Packers QB coach Alex Van Pelt praised Matt Flynn’s track record and indicated that he’s “excited to hopefully get him back in here,” according to Wes Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Flynn is eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason.
- Texans safety D.J. Swearinger tells Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle that he keeps in contact with former South Carolina teammate Jadeveon Clowney, who is pushing hard to be the No. 1 pick in the draft. “He’s talking about, ‘Man, what’s the word [on the Texans’ pick]?’ I’m like, ‘I don’t know. I’m going to try my best to do what I can to get you here,'” Swearinger said.
- In the second half of a two-part Q&A with Ray Farmer, Tony Grossi asked the new Browns GM about the importance of landing an elite quarterback, as well as discussing Farmer’s philosophy in approaching free agency and the draft.
- Cornerback Jabari Greer is taking yesterday’s release from the Saints in stride, as he tells Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. While Greer didn’t expect to be cut, he noted that “you can’t ever be surprised” by it, particularly when you’re on the wrong side of 30.
- Rick Spielman‘s long-term future as the Vikings‘ general manager may depend on his ability to find the team a solution at quarterback, an issue he’ll address this offseason, writes Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.
Lions Waive Louis Delmas
2:53pm: The Lions have some interest in bringing Delmas back at a reduced rate, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. However, the safety plans to test the open market first.
2:17pm: Shortly after word broke that the Lions were releasing wide receiver Nate Burleson, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com reports (via Twitter) that the team is making another cut. The Lions have also waived safety Louis Delmas, according to Twentyman.
Releasing Delmas clears another $6MM in cap space for the Lions, who seemed to have gotten slightly under the cap for 2014 by cutting Burleson. Delmas was on the books for a $6.5MM cap hit for ’14, but his $5.5MM base salary and a $500K roster bonus weren’t guaranteed, leaving the Lions on the hook for just $500K, the amount of the defensive back’s prorated signing bonus.
Delmas, who turns 27 in April, figures to attract the interest of teams looking to bolster their secondaries via free agency. He started all 16 games for the Lions in 2013, recording 64 tackles, three interceptions, and a pair of sacks. He also ranked 26th among NFL safeties using Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). Still, the size of his next contract may be limited by lingering concerns about his knees. In 2011 and 2012, Delmas missed 13 games due to knee injuries.
Lions Release Nate Burleson
1:00pm: The Lions have confirmed they’ve released Burleson, according to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News (Twitter link).
12:44pm: Although they’ve yet to officially announce the move, the Lions have informed wide receiver Nate Burleson that he’ll be released today, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). Burleson had one season remaining on his contract, so he’ll hit free agency a year early.
“It’s a hard decision for them to make, but I can’t blame them for making it,” Burleson said of the Lions, telling Birkett that he still intends to play somewhere in 2014 (Twitter link). Birkett believes that Dallas and Tampa Bay are among the possible landing spots for the 32-year-old receiver (Twitter link). It’s also possible that Burleson could re-sign with the Lions for a reduced rate, but according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link), that scenario appears unlikely.
Burleson’s contract with the Lions called for a $5.5MM base salary in 2014, with a prorated bonus of $2.03MM, making his overall cap hit $7.53MM. By releasing him, Detroit can wipe that base salary from their books, creating $5.5MM in cap savings. Having been projected by OverTheCap.com to be about $5.32MM over the 2014 cap at the start of this week, the Lions should sneak slightly below that threshold, with more moves to come.
In nine games (eight starts) for the Lions in 2013, Burleson grabbed 39 balls for 461 yards. As he hits the free agent market, Detroit figures to turn to either free agency or the draft to add at least one or two receivers to help complement the club’s superstar, Calvin Johnson.
AFC Notes: Texans, Butler, Chargers, Ravens
Texans receiver Andre Johnson likely won’t have any input on how his team uses its first overall pick, but he says if it were up to him, he’s “probably trade it,” according to David Nuno of ABC13 in Houston (hat tip to Pro Football Talk). Johnson’s comments are a little interesting, since many experts believe the Texans will draft a quarterback with that pick. Of course, the veteran receiver also had high praise for Johnny Manziel, one of the candidates for that No. 1 pick, calling him a “great player” and pointing out that there’s a reason he earned the nickname Johnny Football (link via Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle).
Here’s more from across the AFC:
- Chargers GM Tom Telesco spoke to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com about the team’s approach to free agency, which he says will definitely be a “piece of the puzzle” for the club this offseason. According to Williams, the Chargers and linebacker Donald Butler have resumed discussions on a new deal in the hopes of working out an agreement prior to free agency.
- Although they’ve filled their holes at wide receiver primarily with late draft picks or small free agent expenditures in recent seasons, the Ravens may make the position a priority this year, and they should have plenty of options, says Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald expresses plenty of skepticism about the idea that Jonathan Martin could return to the Dolphins for the 2014 season, which was reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport last night. In Salguero’s view, the Dolphins may be selling that idea to try to improve Martin’s trade value.
- With new San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer expected to be sworn in on March 3, the Chargers are eager to resume their push for a new stadium, says Bernie Wilson of The Associated Press.
Austin Howard, Jets Negotiating New Deal
The Jets have opened contract negotiations with free-agent-to-be Austin Howard, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. According to Mehta, the Jets hope to lock up Howard to a multiyear contract before free agency begins on March 11.
Earlier today, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com suggested that the Jets would likely make a “strong push” to re-sign Howard, and it seems that push is already underway. The 26-year-old started all 16 games at right tackle for New York for a second consecutive season, allowing just two quarterback sacks and ranking as one of the best tackles in the league when it came to avoiding penalties, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Within his piece, Cimini suggested that Howard could be in line for a deal similar to the one signed by Patriots right tackle Sebastian Vollmer a year ago. Vollmer agreed to a four-year contract with the Pats worth about $17MM, though it could increase to an overall value of up to $27MM due to various incentives.
OverTheCap.com’s list of top contracts for right tackles suggest that’s probably about the right neighborhood for Howard’s next deal — signing for a contract equal to Vollmer’s would make him one of the top 10 highest-paid right tackles in the league. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Howard exceed that amount and approach the top five salaries at the position.