Giants Likely To Re-Sign Josh Brown
With the Giants struggling to a 7-9 record during the 2013 season, kicker Josh Brown perhaps didn’t get as many scoring opportunities as he would’ve liked in his first year with the club. However, it sounds like he’ll get another chance to rack up points for the team next season. According to Jordan Ranaan of NJ.com, a new deal between Brown and the Giants appears to be “imminent and likely.”
“I absolutely would love to be back with the Giants. I conveyed that with them,” Brown told Ranaan. “I was picking up that they were feeling the same exact way.”
After spending the first 10 years of his career kicking for the Seahawks, Rams, and the Bengals, Brown inked a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Giants last March. The 34-year-old converted all 31 extra-point attempts and 23 of 26 field goals (88.5%) for New York. Of the dozen or so other kickers set to hit the open market, only Phil Dawson, Dan Carpenter, Nick Folk, and Steven Hauschka had higher 2013 field goal conversion rates than Brown.
While Ranaan writes that the Giants seem to be “on the verge” of re-signing Brown, the veteran kicker himself indicates that he’s looking forward to talking to the team, which indicates that negotiations have yet to occur. Still, given Brown’s success in 2013 and his insistence that he’s “not looking to make it rain” with his next deal, the two sides could reach an agreement quickly.
NFC Rumors: Redskins, Graham, 49ers
The Redskins expect to be active in free agency this offseason, and it sounds like the team anticipates plenty of overall roster turnover. GM Bruce Allen told CSN Washington that the club will be adding “about 20 new players” for the 2014 season, according to Tarik El-Bashir. Considering the Redskins are coming off a 3-13 campaign, don’t have a first round pick, and will have significant cap space for the first time in the last several years, it figures to be an interesting offseason in Washington.
Let’s round up a few more items from around the NFC:
- Jimmy Graham is a strong candidate for the franchise tag, meaning his position will be a point of contention next month, since the gap between the franchise tag for tight ends and wide receivers is $4MM+. Taking that disparity into account, the Saints likely appreciate Drew Brees‘ input on the matter. Appearing on NBC Sports Radio, Brees argued that Graham is a tight end, suggesting that tight ends aren’t always used traditionally in the team’s offensive scheme. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has the details.
- The 49ers will have the opportunity to extend Aldon Smith‘s contract this offseason, but may be better off simply exercising his fifth-year option, putting off extension talks for another year, says Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, with an assist from cap expert Joel Corry.
- Suspended Seahawks defensive back Brandon Browner is trying not to get caught up in the financial ramifications of his current situation, as he tells Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Browner, who will miss the Super Bowl as he continues to fight a ban that could force him to miss the 2014 season, is eligible for free agency this offseason, and would have been in line for a major payday if not for the suspension.
- While the Packers need to add some playmakers on the defensive side of the ball, linebacker figures to be a lower priority than the defensive line or secondary this spring, writes ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky.
- Concerned about waiting too long to fill out their staff, the Browns bypassed Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and hired Mike Pettine as their head coach last week. According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter), Quinn admits that he would have wanted to wait until after the Super Bowl to have a second interview with the Browns.
AFC Rumors: Manning, Ravens, Sheets, Gaine
Earlier this week, Peyton Manning attempted to dispel any rumors or speculation that he’d retire if the Broncos win the Super Bowl, telling reporters that he intended to play beyond this season. Not everyone is buying that though, according to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report, who writes that many people around the NFL think Manning will call it a career after this game, especially if he wins. “The belief around football,” according to Freeman, is that Peyton doesn’t want to announce such a decision now because it would be a distraction heading into Sunday.
As we wait to see whether Freeman is right, or whether Manning’s career will continue into 2014, let’s round up a few other Wednesday notes from around the AFC….
- The Ravens tried out a pair of free agents this week, auditioning linebacker Craig Wilkins and defensive end Cordarro Law, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Law spent last season with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders, recording 14 sackes, while Wilkins was cut in the summer by the Seahawks after spending training camp with the team.
- Wilson also reports (via Twitter) that running back Kory Sheets worked out for the Raiders this week. The Regina Leader-Post first had the details on the 2013 CFL Grey Cup MVP’s audition with Oakland.
- Eric Decker will be a free agent this winter, and could interest the Jets as New York pursues receiving help. However, Decker said on Media Day in Newark that he hadn’t thought about the possibility of playing with the local team, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post.
- The Dolphins announced today that they’ve mutually parted ways with assistant GM Brian Gaine (Twitter link). Gaine had been a finalist to become Miami’s new GM, so when the team hired Dennis Hickey instead, Gaine’s departure was considered somewhat inevitable.
- Craig Kelley and Kevin Bowen of Colts.com look ahead to the Colts‘ offseason, with Kelley answering fans’ questions in a two-part mailbag, while Bowen focuses on question marks surrounding the club’s receivers, tight ends, and offensive line.
Broncos Don’t Expect To Re-Sign Moreno
A number of key Broncos contributors will be eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason, and Knowshon Moreno is one player the team doesn’t expect to re-sign, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
Moreno, 27, enjoyed a career year in 2013, establishing new personal bests in rushing yards (1038) and rushing touchdowns (10), among other categories. The former 12th overall pick initially had a team option on his contract for 2014, but it was voided, which will give him the opportunity to hit the open market a year early.
According to OverTheCap.com, the Broncos already have more than $122MM in salary commitments on their books for the 2014 season. While Denver can carry over some unused cap space and can clear additional room by shedding a handful of contracts, it will still be tricky for the club to create the flexibility to bring back all its notable free-agents-to-be. Eric Decker, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and Zane Beadles are among the other Denver starters eligible for unrestricted free agency.
Assuming the Broncos don’t draft or sign another starting running back to replace Moreno, Montee Ball is the odds-on favorite to assume a larger role in the offense in 2014.
Jonathan Martin Plans To Continue NFL Career
After being at the center of a high-profile bullying scandal involving Richie Incognito and the Dolphins this season, offensive lineman Jonathan Martin hopes to continue his NFL playing career next season, as he told Tony Dungy of NBC Sports this week (interview transcript via James Walker of ESPN.com). Martin hasn’t spoken with the Dolphins since leaving the team and appears unlikely to return to Miami, but would like to play somewhere.
“I understand opportunities in the NFL are fleeting,” Martin said. “I’m hopeful that I get another opportunity and I can make the most of it, because this is what I love to do. I don’t know what I would do if I wasn’t playing football.”
According to Jason Cole of the National Football Post, Martin would like to work with the Dolphins to find a suitable trade destination. While Miami likely wouldn’t receive much of a return for Martin, who will become trade-eligible in March, two NFL general managers at last week’s Senior Bowl told Cole the former second-round pick would have a little trade value.
It’s also possible that the Dolphins will simply release Martin, but potential suitors may be more inclined to work out a deal with Miami to avoid competing with other teams in the waiver process. The 24-year-old tackle is on an affordable contract, with a cap number of about $1.3MM in 2014 and $1.52MM in 2015.
Rodgers-Cromartie “Definitely Not Retiring”
WEDNESDAY, 9:44am: Rodgers-Cromartie completed a 180-degree turn on Monday’s comments today, telling Mike Klis of the Denver Post that he’s “definitely not retiring.” According to DRC, he simply meant that he has to start thinking about his post-playing career, since there are no guarantees.
TUESDAY, 10:05am: At Tuesday’s Media Day, Rodgers-Cromartie told reporters, including Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com (Twitter links) that his retirement talk was misunderstood, adding that if he receives a long-term contract offer this offseason, he’ll take it.
MONDAY, 12:54pm: It doesn’t sound like Peyton Manning has any plans to retire whether or not the Broncos win this weekend’s Super Bowl, but the outcome of the game could affect one of his teammates’ futures. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie told reporters today that he may retire if Denver beats Seattle on Sunday. “I set a goal of five years. I’ve played six,” Rodgers-Cromartie said, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
While Mike Garafalo of FOX Sports 1 tweets that Rodgers-Cromartie sounded almost positive about his intentions to retire, and Lindsay Jones of USA Today (Twitter link) stressed that the Broncos cornerback was definitely serious, the 28-year-old added that his plans aren’t “set in stone” yet, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports 1 (Twitter link).
As Rodgers-Cromartie himself noted, he has only played six NFL seasons, so he’ll be hitting unrestricted free agency this winter as a 27-year-old. Coming off a season in which he started 13 games for the AFC champions, he should draw plenty of interest on the open market, so we’ll have to wait and see if he sticks to his retirement plan when teams start calling in March.
NFC Notes: Eagles, Packers, Bears, Cowboys
While the Eagles have made significant splashes in free agency a handful of times during the last several years, GM Howie Roseman says the team isn’t necessarily looking at big-name free agents this winter, as Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com details. According to Roseman, the club doesn’t want to compromise its flexibility in the long-term by committing heavily to one or two pieces that may not work out.
“If you only sign two guys in free agency and you put a lot of resources in them, and for one reason or another a guy doesn’t work out, you’re hamstrung,” Roseman said. “But if you go after a bunch of guys that you think may fit and a couple don’t work out as much as you want every one of them to work out, you feel like, you know what, as long as I have a good batting average on these guys, I’m improving the quality of our football team.”
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- A busy offseason awaits the Packers‘ front office, according to Wayne Larrivee of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who previews the team’s winter and lays out the best-case scenario in his view.
- Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com takes a look at a few of the decisions the Bears will face this winter related to their linebacking corps.
- Naming Rod Marinelli as their new defensive coordinator is fine, but the Cowboys can’t expect their defense to improve unless they bring in more talent on that side of the ball, says Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com.
- Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times spoke to Darrell Bevell about how close the Seahawks‘ offensive coordinator came to becoming the new head coach of the Bears earlier this month.
Seahawks Notes: Tate, Free Agents, Cable
Media Day is in the books, and after rounding up a few Broncos-related notes earlier in the afternoon, we’ll now turn our attention to their NFC opponents. Here’s the latest on the Seahawks:
- Golden Tate will be eligible for unrestricted free agency this winter after catching a team-high 64 balls for the Seahawks. But while he should draw some interest around the league, Tate would like to return to Seattle, writes Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. “I would really like to stay,” Tate said. “It’s a great city, a great group of guys. From top to bottom, I can’t say enough great things about Seattle…. I really would like to stay here, but we’ll see. Only time will tell.”
- Tate, defensive end Michael Bennett, and cornerback Walter Thurmond are among the Seahawks who could greatly improve their free agent value with a big game this Sunday, writes Joel Corry of CBSSports.com, adding that there are a few Broncos in a similar position.
- Asked if he’d like to be an NFL head coach again, Seahawks offensive line coach and assistant head coach Tom Cable replied, “I would, and I will be,” according to Marc Sessler of NFL.com (Twitter link). Cable previously coached the Raiders to a 17-27 record from 2008 to 2010.
Panthers Sign Rivera To Three-Year Extension
4:37pm: Rivera’s new contract will pay him between $4-5MM annually, according to Person (via Twitter), who compares it to Jim Caldwell‘s deal with the Lions.
2:37pm: The Panthers have officially extended head coach Ron Rivera‘s contract by three years, through the 2017 season, the team announced today (link via Max Henson of Panthers.com). Rivera’s deal had previously been scheduled to expire after next season.
Despite starting 2013 with a 1-3 record, Rivera’s Panthers bounced back to win 11 of their final 12 contests, earning a first-round bye. The team eventually lost to the 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs, but the strong regular season performance was enough to earn “Riverboat Ron” Coach of the Year honors from the Professional Football Writers of America.
“The improvement of our team has been reflected in the progress of the record over the last three seasons under Ron, and we look forward to building upon that foundation,” Panthers owner Jerry Richardson said in a statement.
On the heels of GM Dave Gettleman expressing that he had “ultimate confidence” in the Carolina head coach, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer reported earlier this week that Rivera and the Panthers were negotiating a contract extension. Person follows up on today’s news by tweeting that Rivera’s new deal is straightforward, rather than incentive-laden like Rex Ryan‘s pact with the Jets.
In his three seasons with the club, Rivera has led the Panthers to a 25-23 record.
AFC East Rumors: Pats, Fitzgerald, Dolphins
While Larry Fitzgerald has long been considered a logical trade target for the Patriots, there haven’t been many substantial reports over the years linking the Pats to the Cardinals receiver. However, Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com hears from a “very well-placed” source that New England had legitimate interest in acquiring Fitzgerald last offseason, sending out feelers to gauge the feasibility of such a move. As Curran writes, things likely didn’t progress too far, and it’s not clear if the Pats would still have interest in Fitzgerald, who is due a significant pay bump for 2014.
Here’s more from out of the AFC East:
- In his latest mailbag at ESPNBoston.com, Mike Reiss predicts that free agent receiver Julian Edelman will draw offers in the neighborhood of the deal Danny Amendola signed last year (five years, $28.5MM), with the Texans and Browns among the teams that could make it hard for the Patriots to re-sign Edelman.
- The Dolphins introduced new general manager Dennis Hickey at a press conference this afternoon, with Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald among the reporters passing along highlights. Some notable items from the presser: Owner Stephen Ross stressed that Hickey will have full control of the 53-man roster and that Hickey doesn’t “have to listen” if Ross tells him to draft, pursue, or play a specific player. Hickey added that the structure of the front office is “completely clear” to him and that he’s already spoken to the team’s medical and personnel staff about the team’s free agents (all four Twitter links).
- The Bills announced today that they’ve granted the Browns permission to interview defensive line coach Anthony Weaver. If Weaver is eventually hired by the Browns, he’d be the latest in an increasingly lengthy line of Bills coaches following Mike Pettine to Cleveland.