Bears Undecided On Tagging Alshon Jeffery
With several big-name wide receivers signing new contract extensions in 2015, the free agent market for 2016 has been left somewhat depleted. However, at least one player capable of being a No. 1 receiver remains on track to become a free agent, for now. And according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), there’s a chance that the Bears could let Alshon Jeffery hit the open market.
[RELATED: 2016 NFL franchise tag candidates]
While the general consensus has been that Chicago will use its franchise tag to lock up Jeffery, the team has yet to make a decision on whether or not to tag the former second-round pick, says Rapoport. Presumably, the Bears would prefer to sign Jeffery to a multiyear deal, rather than committing $14MM+ in 2016 cap room to him on the franchise tag, but Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets that agent Eugene Parker is unlikely to budge much in contract negotiations until Chicago uses its tag.
If that is indeed Parker’s position, it makes sense. Should the Bears franchise Jeffery, it would increase his floor for a long-term deal, putting the 26-year-old into the salary range of wideouts like Dez Bryant, A.J. Green, Julio Jones, and Demaryius Thomas.
Jeffery’s case for a high-end contract may not be quite as strong as those players’ cases were, but if he’s tagged, his position in the marketplace virtually assures that any long-term extension he signs would place him among the league’s highest-paid receivers. If Chicago decides not to use its franchise tag, Jeffery would have a chance to reach the open market in a year when he’s the clear-cut top receiver available, which isn’t a bad alternative for Parker and his client.
After averaging 87 receptions and 1,277 yards in 2013 and 2014, Jeffery was plagued by injuries in 2015, but he was excellent when healthy, averaging a career-high 89.7 yards per game. Ultimately, I’d expect the Bears to use the franchise tag on him to avoid letting him get away for nothing, but it will be an interesting situation to monitor over the next week and a half.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Cameron Wake, Dolphins Discussing Extension
FRIDAY, 10:17am: According to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter), Wake and the Dolphins are hoping for resolution on his contract situation next week, which would give the team time to turn its attention to Vernon before the franchise-tag deadline.
THURSDAY, 8:23am: The Dolphins have engaged in contract talks with veteran defensive end Cameron Wake about a possible extension, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). According to Rapoport, Miami is exploring the possibility of getting something done with Wake before the new league year begins, which could give the team increased flexibility to retain defensive end Olivier Vernon.
Wake, who turned 34 last month, was his usual productive self during the first half of the 2015 season, racking up seven sacks in seven games for the Dolphins, and forcing four fumbles. However, a torn Achilles, sustained in late October, sidelined him for the rest of the year, and has him on the mend as the ’16 league year approaches.
Wake is currently due a base salary of $8.275MM, plus a workout bonus of $125K, in 2016, the final year of his contract. If the Dolphins were to cut him, they could clear that $8.4MM from their books, leaving just $1.4MM in dead money on the cap. Since Miami seems to want to keep Wake on its roster, and a new deal would give him some guaranteed money up front, there’s motivation for both sides to work something out.
If the Dolphins do agree to an extension with Wake, it likely wouldn’t add more than a couple new years to his deal, given his age. It would also almost certainly reduce his $9.8MM cap number for 2016, which would free up some space for the club as it tackles other offseason business. Frankly though, if the Dolphins hope to use their franchise tag on Vernon or spend big on another player, releasing Wake and restructuring Ndamukong Suh‘s contract would make the most sense — those two moves would create upwards of $25MM in cap savings for the club.
If the Dolphins do extend Wake, it may signal the end of Derrick Shelby‘s time in Miami. Re-signing both Vernon and Shelby would be most plausible for the Dolphins if they move on from Wake, but as long as the veteran still in the mix, it might make sense for the club to focus on re-signing one of its two free agent defensive ends. Miami will have until March 1st to use its franchise tag, and until March 9th to work out extensions to avoid having its free agents reach the open market.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC Notes: Panthers, Lions, Greenway, Eagles
The Panthers are adding former 49ers special teams coach Thomas McGaughey to their staff as a special teams assistant, a source tells Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Carolina head coach Ron Rivera wanted to hire a young special teams coach to assist coordinator Bruce DeHaven, who has been undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. The team also interviewed former Bucs assistant Kevin O’Dea and ex-Panthers linebacker Chase Blackburn for the job.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- On the heels of the news that the Lions will release linebacker Stephen Tulloch, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that another veteran starter, safety James Ihedigbo, will be “gone” as well. Ihedigbo is eligible for free agency this winter, so Rapoport’s tweet suggests the 32-year-old won’t be re-signing with the Lions.
- Echoing comments he made after the Vikings‘ season ended in January, linebacker Chad Greenway said on SiriusXM NFL Radio that he’d like to return to Minnesota for another season, as Alex Marvez of FOX Sports details. Assuming the Vikings re-sign Greenway, it will likely be one final year before he retires.
- The Eagles and college scouting coordinator Matt Lindsey have mutually agreed to part ways, per a report from FootballScoop.com (on Twitter). As Geoff Mosher of 97.5 The Fanatic tweets, this leaves Philly without a college scouting director or college scouting coordinator right before the combine.
- Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link), cornerback Jeremy Lane said today that he’d love to re-sign with the Seahawks this winter, pointing to the fact that Seattle gave him his “first crack” in the NFL. Lane, a sixth-round pick in 2012, is eligible for free agency this offseason.
Falcons Ask Paul Soliai To Take Pay Cut
The Falcons have approached defensive tackle Paul Soliai and his agent about the possibility of a pay cut, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). While no decisions have been made yet, Cole says Soliai is unlikely to assent, preferring to take his chances on the open market.
Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter links) confirms that discussions are ongoing between the Falcons and Soliai’s camp, and that there’s no resolution yet, though he classifies the team’s request as a restructure, rather than a pay cut.
Still, if the Falcons want to do a simple restructure of the contract, converting a portion of Soliai’s salary into a signing bonus to reduce his cap hit, there’s little reason for the player to oppose it, so I imagine a pay reduction of some sort is part of the proposal — perhaps the team would give Soliai the opportunity to earn back his full salary through bonuses and/or incentives.
Soliai, 32, has spent the last two years with the Falcons after playing seven seasons for the Dolphins. Although Soliai’s numbers in 2015 (22 tackles, one fumble recovery) were modest, he was still one of the more reliable cogs in Atlanta’s interior defensive line rotation, so it makes sense that the team would want to retain him, albeit not at his current price.
Soliai’s contract, which runs through 2018, calls for a cap charge of about $6.838MM in 2016, which includes a $5MM base salary. Those cap numbers will increase to $6.9MM and $8.4MM in the final two years of the deal, so it seems unlikely he’ll be a Falcon for much longer unless he and the club can reach some sort of agreement.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
East Notes: Wilkerson, Eagles, Cousins, Jets
The Jets reportedly intend to use their franchise tag on Muhammad Wilkerson within the next couple weeks, but that doesn’t mean Wilkerson won’t have suitors this offseason. Given the Jets’ depth at defensive end, the team is expected to at least listen to trade offers for Wilkerson, and it sounds like the standout defender wants to make it clear that he’s recovering from well from the broken leg that ended his season last month.
“Great visit w/ Dr. Anderson 2day in NC,” Wilkerson tweeted today. “Leg responded gr8, starting rehab ahead of schedule. Anxious to get to work. Thx for all the support!”
Wilkerson’s leg injury was never expected to sideline him for any of the 2016 season, but the fact that he’s ahead of schedule in the rehab process is a good sign for the Jets and for any teams that may be considering making a play for him in the coming weeks.
Let’s check in on several more updates from out of the NFL’s East divisions…
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Chase Daniel will be a “name to watch” this offseason for the Eagles. Daniel, a free-agent-to-be, has been previously linked to Philadelphia, due to the team’s hiring of former Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson. Rapoport suggests the Eagles’ new head coach views Daniels as “more than a backup.”
- John Keim of ESPN.com and Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports each examine the Kirk Cousins contract situation in Washington, with Keim suggesting the team must maintain future cap flexibility, with many other extension candidates on deck in a year or two. As for Garafolo, he still sees the franchise tag as the most likely outcome for Cousins, since the quarterback has far more leverage at this point than Washington does.
- Ryan Fitzpatrick isn’t a franchise quarterback, but he’s a great bridge option for the Jets, who must re-sign him, writes Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Cimini projects a three-year, $24MM pact, including $12MM guaranteed, for Fitzpatrick, whom the ESPN scribe expects to be back in New York next season.
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald expects the Dolphins to either lock up Olivier Vernon to a multiyear contract or use their franchise tag on him, since “it makes no sense” to allow a young pass rusher like Vernon to reach the open market.
- Although Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft has the Cowboys selecting Jared Goff with the No. 4 overall selection, Todd Archer of ESPN.com remains skeptical that Dallas will use that pick on a quarterback.
49ers Name Al Guido Team President
FEBRUARY 18: About two and a half months after the 49ers’ front office reassignment was initially reported, the team has confirmed new titles for Al Guido and Paraag Marathe. According to a press release, Guido will be the club’s new president, while Marathe is now the Niners’ chief strategy officer and executive VP of football operations, as well as a managing partner in the investment entity created by the Yorks.
DECEMBER 5: York addressed the moves in an email to his staff (published on 49ers.com), discussing Marathe’s new role in the organization:
“Paraag has chosen to take a leadership role in the organization’s new ventures efforts. As you know, Paraag has been the lead in our partnership with the Sacramento Republic FC soccer team and was instrumental in developing and launching VenueNext. We anticipate great things to come from our new ventures wing as it continues to grow.
Despite how some have chosen to portray this transition in the media, I want you to know that Paraag has been and will continue to be an instrumental member of this organization. Without his contributions over the last 15 years, the successes achieved by this organization would not have been possible.”
York also discussed how Guido would take over some of Marathe’s previous responsibilities:
“With Paraag focusing so much time and energy on new business opportunities, Al has taken the lead on the day-to-day business operations of the team and Levi’s® Stadium.”
DECEMBER 4: 49ers president Paraag Marathe has been reassigned from his current role with the team, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. According to Maiocco, Marathe will remain with his current title and job description for another couple months, but after the Super Bowl, he’ll take on a lesser role with the Niners and will become more involved in outside business ventures, including the Sacramento Republic soccer team.
Following his reassignment, Marathe will remain involved with the Niners to some extent. Per Maiocco, he’ll continue to manage San Francisco’s salary cap and will still be the club’s top contract negotiator. However, most of his new job description will focus on the 49ers’ outside business interests.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the decision to change up the roles in the 49ers’ front office happened months ago, but the team wanted to make it through the 2015 season before instituting those changes. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, meanwhile, reports (via Twitter) that the reassignment was Marathe’s decision, since it gives him a chance to do more things and to be an equity partner in the York family’s ventures.
Of course, Schefter’s report would be a little easier to believe if the Niners hadn’t painted Jim Harbaugh‘s departure from the franchise last winter as a “mutual parting.” An NFL source tells Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News that one of the reasons Marathe is being deposed from his team president role is that he’s “believed to be the source of many recent leaks to national reporters, most notably the reports discrediting Colin Kaepernick.” Keeping that in mind, it’s easy to be skeptical about the report from Schefter, a national reporter.
In any case, according to Kawakami, no 49ers executive has been more polarizing than Marathe during his long tenure with the club, and he’s also one of owner Jed York‘s closest confidantes. As such, his reassignment represents something of a “sea change” for San Francisco’s front office structure.
Per Kawakami, Niners executive Al Guido is expected to assume many of Marathe’s administrative responsibilities. The team president title figures to come along with Guido’s new responsibilities, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
Browns Release Randy Starks, Jim Dray
The Browns, led by new front-office decision-makers and a new coaching staff, have begun to make changes to their roster, announcing today in a press release that they’ve released veteran defensive tackle Randy Starks and tight end Jim Dray.
[RELATED: Browns expected to cut Johnny Manziel]
Starks, 32, signed with the Browns last March after spending his previous seven years in Miami, where he earned a pair of Pro Bowl nods. Over the course of his seven seasons with the Dolphins, Starks never recorded fewer than three sacks, but he notched just a single sack in 2015 for the Browns in his 15 games, to go along with 29 tackles.
Pro Football Focus graded Starks as the Browns’ top interior defender, placing him 46th overall out of 123 qualified players. However, Cleveland decided to opt for the cap savings created by releasing Starks, rather than keeping him around for the final year of his contract. By cutting the veteran lineman, the Browns clear $3MM from their cap, and will carry just $625K in dead money.
Dray, meanwhile, was the Browns’ second tight end behind Gary Barnidge during the 2015 season. While Barndige flourished, enjoying a career year and earning a contract extension, Dray was used primarily as a blocker, earning only 16 targets all season. He caught six of them, for 61 yards.
Like Starks, Dray was heading into a contract year, so the Browns will carry minimal dead money ($300K) on their cap this season. Releasing the tight end creates $1.775MM in cap savings for Cleveland.
As vested veterans, both Starks and Dray will immediately become free agents without having to pass through waivers.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On LeSean McCoy Investigation
When police investigators turned over the nightclub assault case involving LeSean McCoy to Philadelphia’s District Attorney last week, it sounded like arrest warrants would be issued within the next day or two. However, the District Attorney’s office has been very deliberate in going over the case, and John Gonzalez of CSNPhilly.com hears from law enforcement officials that the D.A.’s office is “pushing back” against issuing a warrant for McCoy’s arrest.
According to Gonzalez, there has been some tension during the last few days between the District Attorney’s office and the Philadelphia Police Department due to the delay in charging McCoy and his three companions who were allegedly involved in a nightclub fight with off-duty police officers. Sources tell Gonzalez that the D.A.’s office is hesitant to issue warrants because it has questions about the conduct of those off-duty officers, including the fact that they didn’t call 9-1-1, as well as whether they were drinking to excess.
As the D.A.’s office decides how to proceed, Dennis Cogan, one of McCoy’s attorneys, suggests to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News that his client doesn’t deserve to face charges.
“We’re awaiting a decision by the DA’s office,” said Dennis Cogan, one of two criminal defense attorneys representing McCoy. “We trust that they are really taking time to consider all the surrounding circumstances. But I’m here to say and I’m telling you that McCoy did nothing wrong, nothing wrong. And he was sober. The questions will have to be asked about the conditions of other people.”
A source close to the investigation tells Carucci that the Philadelphia D.A.’s office will likely hold a news conference on either Thursday or Friday to share its findings, though it’s not clear if that means warrants will be issued.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Vikings GM Expects To Extend Harrison Smith
Vikings safety Harrison Smith has played four years on his rookie deal, and is under contract for one more year due a fifth-year option. However, general manager Rick Spielman doesn’t expect Smith to be playing in a contract year in 2016, indicating today that he anticipates getting an extension done for the safety sometime in the not-too-distant future, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.
Referring to Smith as one of the “better safeties” in the NFL, Spielman acknowledged with a chuckle that calling him one of the “best” might increase his price. Pro Football Focus, at least, viewed the 27-year-old as the league’s best safety in 2015, ranking him atop the site’s list of 88 qualified players at the position, despite the fact that he only played 13 games. Among safeties, Smith ranked in PFF’s top 10 in terms of pass coverage, run defense, and pass rush grades.
Smith, who earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 2015, is set to earn a base salary of $5.278MM in 2016. Any new deal figures to pay him an average annual salary worth much more than that. If the Vikings are willing to pay Smith like one of the NFL’s best safeties, that could mean per-year earnings in the $9-10MM range — Jairus Byrd, Devin McCourty, and Earl Thomas are all making salaries in that neighborhood, per Over the Cap. If Smith were to exceed $10MM per year, he’d surpass Thomas as the league’s highest-paid safety.
While a looming extension for Smith was perhaps the most noteworthy nugget that Spielman dropped today, he made a few more comments worth passing along, so let’s dive in…
- Spielman indicated that 2016 will be a pivotal season for Cordarrelle Patterson to show he can be a wide receiver, which suggests Patterson will have a spot on the Vikings’ roster in the fall, tweets Goessling.
- The Vikings don’t plan on bringing in any competition for kicker Blair Walsh, whose missed field goal on Wild Card weekend cost Minnesota a chance to beat the Seahawks and advance in the postseason (Twitter link via Goessling).
- Defensive back Terence Newman doesn’t have a contract for 2016, and would be the NFL’s oldest defensive player if he decides not to retire, but Spielman believes Newman wants to play this year. As Goessling tweets, the GM added that he thinks Newman is a cornerback, not a safety.
Lions Notes: Megatron, Ngata, Quinn, Levy
Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson is expected to retire this offseason, but it’s not a done deal yet. Appearing on 105.1 FM in Detroit on Thursday morning, Lions president Rod Wood said that the team is still waiting on a final decision from Megatron, as Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions outlines.
“We’re staying in touch with him,” Wood said of Johnson. “I talked to him Monday, and [GM] Bob Quinn talked to him, so get that out there. Bob has spoken to Calvin. Calvin has not made a decision…. We’re going to give him time to think about what he wants to do. If he wants to come back, we’d, obviously, love to have him back. If he decides to retire, we’re going to support that decision.”
Asked whether the Lions will push Johnson to make his decision by a certain date, Wood insisted there was no timetable.
“It’d be nice to know what we’re going to do, but it’s not something that we’re going to force on him to make a decision prior to free agency,” Wood said. “I’m not going to try and talk him in, or anybody else with the team, talk him into a decision. He needs to decide what’s right for him and his future and his body and the rest of his career. And I think the worst thing that we could do is try and put pressure on him, and we’re not doing that.”
Wood weighed in on a few more Lions-related topics, and we have a couple other notes out of Detroit to pass along, so let’s round up the latest….
- Defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, who took some time after the season to contemplate his future, wants to play in 2016 and perhaps beyond, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Ngata is unsigned for 2016, but will talk to the Lions soon to see if the two sides can continue their relationship.
- As Twentyman writes in his piece linked above, Wood pointed to the offensive line as an area the Lions will look to upgrade this offseason, and also stressed the importance of building a strong defense. “I certainly think there’s a long history of teams with good defenses winning,” the club president said. “Last year (2014), when we had the No. 2 defense in the league, we were 11-5. This year, when our defense didn’t play as well the beginning of the year, we struggled.”
- Wood confirmed today that GM Bob Quinn has final say on all of the team’s player personnel decisions, and that it was “absolutely” Quinn’s call on whether or not to retain head coach Jim Caldwell (Twitter links via Mike O’Hara).
- Wood dismissed the idea that Caldwell is on a short leash, but stressed that the Lions do expect to win in the short term, rather than enter rebuilding mode (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
- Asked whether linebacker DeAndre Levy will be healthy for the start of training camp, Wood said he has “no reason to believe” Levy won’t be ready (Twitter link via O’Hara). The veteran linebacker missed most of the 2015 season due to hip issues.