Demovsky On The Packers
The Packers and agent Drew Rosenhaus have engaged in open dialogue about free agent cornerback Sam Shields, according to ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky, who participated in a chat with fans. Other tidbits:
- Inside linebacker A.J. Hawk‘s 2013 season was his best yet, and Packers coaches value the veteran’s dependability, reliability and accountability despite his physical limitations. Brad Jones, however, must “play much better or they need to find a replacement,” says Demovsky.
- Nick Perry and Jerel Worthy, the team’s first two 2012 draft picks, have both disappointed and it’s unknown if either fit the defensive scheme.
- Demovsky spoke to a scout who believes Johnny Jolly could slide inside to nose tackle if he’s re-signed.
- When asked about the team potentially locking up receivers Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson long-term, Demovsky described Cobb as a “no-brainer,” but wondered if Nelson would “drive a harder bargain” because he took a below-market deal (four years, $12.6MM) in 2011 and his next deal will likely be his last big contract.
- Demovsky does not envision the team splurging for a blockbuster free agent (i.e. a player requiring an $8MM-$10MM signing bonus), but sees a few “mid-level” signings as realistic.
- “Chances are good” the team will draft a developmental quarterback in the mid to late rounds.
Free Agent Rhodes Does Not Believe He Was Blacklisted By NFL
Free agent safety Kerry Rhodes, who most recently played with the Cardinals in 2012, does not believe speculation about his sexuality was the reason he did not get an NFL opportunity last season. “I don’t think I was blacklisted,” Rhodes told ESPNNewYork.com’s Jane McManus. “Especially with the NFL I don’t think they would do that…to me it was a product of me wanting to do other things and not finding the right opportunity.”
Instead, Rhodes sees money as the main issue blocking his return to the league. He’s simply unwilling to sign and play for less than his self worth. “I still love football and it’s still a part of me,” said Rhodes. “That’s not closed. But I’m not going to go into a situation where it’s not beneficial to myself. Because with the things I’m doing now I feel pretty comfortable and confident.”
Rhodes comfort in “things” outside of football could also explain why suitors aren’t knocking on his door. In a league where teams demand players be passionate about and obsessed with the game, Rhodes is not. Not exclusively, anyway. After reportedly turning down a one-year, $3MM offer from the Cardinals, Rhodes, who was called “Hollywood” during his time with the Jets, turned to outside interests, including a production company and acting.
Rhodes says he’s staying in shape and hopes to play again, but seems content if his career is over. As for speculation that he’s gay, he did not equivocate. “I emphatically said no once and that’s all I need to say and people who know me know that’s definitely not the case,” Rhodes said. “To me I’m definitely not [gay] and I can’t control what people think, so I move on.”
Jeremy Maclin Wants To Stay Put
While much of the Eagles’ off-season speculation has centered around the uncertainty of the receiving corps, free agent Jeremy Maclin desires to stay in Philadelphia. Speaking with Zach Berman of Philly.com, Maclin said, “I’ve always stated, this is where I want to be. The Eagles have stated the same thing. We’ll continue to get on the same page with all that and get something done.”
Berman also took to Twitter, reiterating Maclin’s genuineness: “FWIW, Maclin has remained in Philly area this offseason to work out and has been around team facility. Desire to stay is not lip service.”
Maclin, recovering from the second tear of his right ACL, will not be 100% when free agency opens in March, but his rehab is progressing well and the injury will not deter suitors wanting a 26-year-old playmaker. He expects to be cleared for non-contact activity in the spring and believes there is “no question” he’ll be ready for training camp. Berman explains the free agent’s looming decision by writing, “Maclin must decide between taking a short-term “show-me” deal, or sign a long-term deal that likely won’t be of the same value he would have earned had he been healthy in 2013.”
Devin Hester Likely To Leave Bears
Bears return man Devin Hester is without a contract for 2014, and Dan Pompei at Bleacher Report says, “It is starting to look like Devin Hester has brought back his last kick for the Bears.” Despite being used solely as a return specialist last season, Hester, 31, did not regain the explosiveness and productivity of his prime. Considering the Bears have less than $7MM in cap space with several needs to address, Pompei says the team is likely to seek a returner who also contributes on offense or defense.
As for Hester’s future, while his days of his superhuman impact appear a thing of the past, he still remains a viable upgrade for many teams. Hester ranked in the top third of return men in the league, averaging 27.6 yards per kickoff return and 14.2 yards per punt return, including a score. Pompei alludes to speculation that Hester could reunite with former head coach Lovie Smith in Tampa.
NFC Notes: Dimitroff, Shields, Orakpo, Eagles
Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff was put under the microscope by the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Dawson Devitt, who published the first part of an exhaustive retrospective analysis of the GM’s transaction history 2008-09, including free agency, cuts, trades, extensions and drafts. The verdict? More good than bad.
Other opinions from NFC writers:
- Packers free agent cornerback Sam Shields‘ arrow is pointing up, according to ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky, who says the 26-year-old is worth $7-8MM per year. Shields has blazing speed to run with outside burners and has improved leaps and bounds with his technique and tackling.
- With Henry Melton, Jay Ratliff and Nate Collins set to hit free agency, defensive tackle “will have to be a top priority” for the Bears, according to ESPN Chicago’s Michael C. Wright, who believes the team will add interior defenders in the draft, via free agency and still attempt to bring back its own free agents.
- The Redskins can re-sign both Brian Orakpo and Perry Riley provided both players don’t ask for unreasonable deals, says ESPN Washington’s John Keim.
- Thanks to second-year head coach Chip Kelly’s familiarity with college players, Dallas Morning News writer Rick Gosselin believes the Eagles are in a window when they have a distinct draft advantage. Gosselin cites past examples of Jimmy Johnson‘s move from the University of Miami to the Cowboys, Jim Harbaugh‘s jump from Stanford to the 49ers and Pete Carroll’s escape from USC to the Seahawks when the coaches drafted players they were familiar with, creating the core of winning NFL teams. Kelly, who recruited nationally for Oregon, “spent four years with the Ducks so he has a four-year window when he’ll know the draft board better than the NFL lifers,” contends Gosselin.
Packers Notes: Cap, Dietrich-Smith, Draft
In an off-season, position-by-position analysis of the Packers, ESPN Wisconsin’s Jason Wilde provided an outlook on the team’s offensive line. While the depth chart isn’t settled, the team is relatively content with its depth and competition heading into 2014. Key points:
- The Pack boasts nearly $30MM in cap space.
- After losing starting left tackle Bryan Bulaga to a season-ending injury in training camp, rookie David Bakhtiari “stepped up in a big way,” but played with inconsistency you’d expect of a fourth-round rookie.
- Left guard Josh Sitton was the most consistent blocker, according to Pro Football Focus, allowing just one sack and eight hurries. At 27, he’s also the oldest of the group.
- Center Evan Dietrich-Smith‘s contract is up, but line coach James Campen wants him back: “I think [Dietrich-Smith] grew as the season went along,” said Campen. “He got better with communication [and] his command with tempo and getting people set and where they had to align. I think still he’s a player that has room to grow.” Wilde expects Dietrich-Smith to be re-signed.
- Bulaga, Bakhtiari, 2013 right tackle starter Don Barclay and 2011 first-rounder Derek Sherrod are viable options and will compete for the starting tackle jobs.
- The team “will almost certainly” add another lineman to the mix in the draft.
Saints Re-Sign Shayne Graham, Bryce Harris
In addition to the re-signing of exclusive rights free agent Trevin Wade, the Saints have re-signed placekicker Shayne Graham and offensive tackle Bryce Harris, according to Sheldon Mickles of The Advocate.
Graham signed a one-year deal for $955K. The 36-year-old replaced Garrett Hartley in December, going 6-for-6 on field goals in the final two regular season games and wild-card win over Philadelphia before missing from 45 and 47 yards in a divisional round loss to Seattle.
Harris, an ERFA like Wade, signed a one-year, $570K tender after playing in all 16 regular season games, including one start at right tackle. Harris provides depth as a swing tackle, “jumbo” blocker and special-teams contributor.
Corry On Pay Cut Candidates
In our previous post, we highlighted young stars entering their prime years and poised to land lucrative second contracts. At the other end of the spectrum, Joel Corry of National Football Post spotlighted five veterans who could be asked to take a pay cut:
- Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey – Will be 36 next season after playing just five regular season contests in 2013 (foot injury). Simply put, Bailey’s cost to the team is not commensurate with his diminished skills, as he’s scheduled to count $10.5MM against the cap next year.
- Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware – Dallas’ cap woes were detailed last week. At the top of the “To Do” list is Ware, who carries a $16MM cap number as a result of three restructurings. Bothered by an elbow injury which necessitated off-season surgery, Ware managed just six sacks in 2013. Corry says Ware has indicated he’s willing to go down that road again, “but a pay cut is a different story.” If the Cowboys release Ware, the team stands to gain approximately $7.4MM of cap room.
- 49ers running back Frank Gore – Not unlike catchers in baseball, running backs trend downward beyond age 30. Gore will be 31 in 2014 when he’s scheduled to count $6.45MM against the cap, though he’s considered an “old” 31 given his career workload and injury history. With a strong offensive line and dual-threat quarterback Colin Kaepernick entering his prime, it’s reasonable to think Gore’s production could be had for cheaper, be it in the form of Gore himself at a reduced rate or perhaps 2013 “redshirt” Marcus Lattimore, who is waiting in the wings.
- Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu – The soon-to-be 33-year-old has the NFL’s highest 2014 cap number among safeties (approximately $10.9MM), but Polamalu’s play has fallen off to the point where his reputation exceeds his performance. According to Corry, “A pay cut could be folded into an extension that lowers Polamalu’s cap number and ensures that he never plays with another NFL team.”
- Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork – Corry describes the veteran Wilfork’s situation as “precarious” because the final year of his five-year deal weighs $11.6MM against the cap. That number ranks second-highest on the roster behind Tom Brady, and the team has just under $3.9MM of cap room at present time. Wilfork has been a rock, but the Pats cannot afford to devote nine percent of the cap to a 32-year-old run stuffer coming off a torn Achilles tendon injury, especially with the team attempting to re-sign Aqib Talib.
Young Stars In Line For Payday
The NFL published its “All-Under-25” team, highlighting the league’s best players under the age of 25. From a contractual standpoint, five stand out as free agents to be at the conclusion of the 2014 season:
- Rams defensive end Robert Quinn – Everyone knew Quinn was dripping with upside when the Rams picked him the first round of the 2011 draft, and the pass rusher extraordinaire’s third season was something to behold. Quinn was an unblockable one-man wrecking crew, garnering NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors and putting himself in position to break the bank on his second deal.
- Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith – Knocking on the door of elite status at a critical position, Smith is expected to get a mega contract extension to ensure the safety of Tony Romo‘s blind side.
- Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson – Did not have as many impact plays in 2013, but is a three-time Pro Bowler and legitimate No. 1 coverman at a time when big cornerbacks are in high demand.
- Bengals middle linebacker Vontaze Burfict – Pre-draft character concerns which knocked him off draft boards and seem like a distant memory now. Burfict played at an elite level, leading the league with 171 tackles. If he behaves himself for another year, he’ll receive an exponential bump from his six-figure 2014 salary.
- Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey – A stout run defender, Casey’s sack production jumped from 5.5 2011-2012 to 10.5 in 2013 when he was one of the most balanced interior defenders in the league.
Dolphins Owner Responds To Wells Report
After taking the day to review the Wells report detailing the Dolphins bullying scandal centered around Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross issued a statement via the team’s website (full report here), saying, “I now have had a chance to read the report and obviously, the language that was used and the behavior as described is deeply disturbing.”
While Ross did not directly address the futures of Incognito or Martin, neither will play another down for the team, which is expected to place an increased emphasis on character under new GM Dennis Hickey. Although he’s a rookie GM, Hickey has a reputation as a trustworthy information gatherer in the college scouting process, according to former Buccaneers GM Mark Dominik, who was quoted in a story by the Sun Sentinel’s Chris Perkins at the time of Hickey’s hire in Miami.
“He got accurate information because people trust him,” Dominik said. “When he goes to a school he can talk to a coach to get accurate information about the kid’s character, his background.”