Alex Smith Wants A Deal He Will “Play Out”
In the wake of Andy Dalton‘s contract extension, Alex Smith and the Chiefs have reopened their own extension talks, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Dalton’s six-year, $115MM extension could have served as the baseline for Smith’s deal, although the 30-year old former first-overall pick might have been in line for a shorter deal. In terms of annual salary, Smith’s value is similar to Dalton’s.
Smith is now on the record saying he would not accept a similar deal. The major reason he would resist is the ability for the Bengals to get out from under the contract each year.
Smith’s replacement in San Francisco Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers agreed on a contract that also served as a pay-as-you-go deal earlier this offseason.
While these deals may make sense for the younger players who are betting on themselves, the older Smith knows this could be his last big contract. If it does not work out with the Chiefs on a pay-as-you-go structure, it is likely one-year deals as a backup the rest of his career. Smith is looking for enough guarantees to keep him in Kansas City for the long haul.
“I want to get something that’s right that I’m going to play out,” said Smith. “Absolutely, and that’s definitely a focus of mine.”
Smith also addressed the contracts signed by Dalton and Kaepernick directly, noting the differences between their situations and his.
“I look at both Andy and Kap and they’re both on their rookie deals,” said Smith. “They’re both second-round picks in the new rookie wage scale, so what were their salaries? It’s a very different situation for me.”
Due to the rookie wage scale, both of those players were set to make a little over $1MM this season. Their deals significantly increased their 2014 salaries, but because of the short term raises the teams were able to grab long term control. Smith was scheduled to make $7.5MM next season, and would be less inclined to sacrifice control long term for a raise in 2014.
While contract talks have been complicated, Smith still hopes the two sides could reach an agreement before the beginning of the regular season.
AFC South Notes: Jaguars, Colts, Titans
The Jaguars have a number of players battling for a very few roster spots, and Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com has evaluated which players he thinks the Jaguars will be putting on the field come the opener. He writes that the team is only keeping five cornerbacks, and that four spots are already taken, which leaves Rashaad Reynolds fighting five corners for the last spot. However, he does believe the team will keep four running backs and a fullback, so they will have room for Jordan Todman, Denard Robinson, and Storm Johnson on the roster.
Here are some other notes from around the AFC South:
- While first-round pick Blake Bortles is still a long way from taking over as the starter for the Jaguars, DiRocco writes that he is far ahead of expectations so far. His knowledge of the offense has impressed, and he has made improvements as a passer since coming into camp.
- The Jaguars could still use help at center, but John Oehserof the O-Zone does not seeing that happening (via Twitter). He said the issue is closed for this season, but that the team would revisit the position at some point next offseason.
- The Colts worked out two linebackers today with hopes that one could earn a spot on the team, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Former Texan Mister Alexander and former Redskin Brandon Jenkins will both both have their chance to impress the Colts’ coaching staff.
- The Titans have an ongoing battle between two kickers trying to make the team, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. He writes that Maikon Bonani has the stronger leg, but Travis Coons has been far more consistent and accurate during camp.
Buccaneers Notes: McCown, Dotson, Bowers
The Buccaneers’ offense was dreadful in their first preseason game on Friday, particularly Josh McCown and the offensive line, writes Gary Shelton of the Tampa Bay Times. Although McCown has already been named the starter, he gave no reassurances that he could handle the job. The offensive line was just as disappointing, and has fans and pundits in the Tampa area worried about the unit this season.
Here are some other notes from the team’s first week of the preseason:
- Right tackle Demar Dotson acknowledged the offensive line’s struggles on Friday, according to Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Bay Tribune (via Twitter). “In the first preseason game, you expect some mistakes,” said Dotson. “You can’t look at it & panic.”
- Head coach Lovie Smith responded to the poor play of his offensive line by saying that he is always looking for outside help if it improves the team, reports Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). The team was rumored to be interested in 49ers’ guard Alex Boone, should he become available. However, Smith did say he thought they had the offensive line in place that could do the job this season.
- On a positive note, star defensive tackle Gerald McCoy spoke about the versatility of Da’Quan Bowers, according to Kaufman (via Twitter). “He’s playing inside, he’s playing outside,” said McCoy. “And he’s making plays at both positions.”
Steve Gregory To Retire
Safety Steve Gregory has announced his retirement from the NFL, releasing a statement through his agent and DEC Management (via Twitter).
Gregory was recently signed by the Chiefs on the heels of an injury to star safety Eric Berry. He played two seasons with the Patriots, famously recovering the Mark Sanchez “Butt-Fumble” and returning it for a touchdown on Thanksgiving of 2012. Gregory was released early this offseason.
The bulk of Gregory’s playing career came with the Chargers, where he signed as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played five seasons with the team, appearing mostly as a backup and special teams player. He started 31 games for the Chargers between 2006 and 2011.
Teams Interested In Alex Boone
Amidst Pro Bowl guard Alex Boone‘s holdout, as he seeks a new contract from the 49ers, other NFL teams have expressed interest in possibly trading for the fifth-year pro, reports Bill Williamson of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 agrees with Williamson’s assessment, noting that guards are in demand right now across the league (via Twitter). Garafolo mentions that even Richie Incognito is beginning to generate some interest, despite becoming a pariah of the league following the Jonathan Martin bullying scandal that led to his suspension and eventual expulsion from the Dolphins last season.
One team Williamson has picked out as a logical suitor is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who parted ways with Carl Nicks earlier this offseason. Boone could slide into Nicks’ position and steady the offensive line.
He could also be a fit for the Giants, writes Williamson. Boone has the ability to play guard or tackle, providing versatility along the offensive line. Of course, they 49ers are still likely to try to retain him, as his replacement, Joe Looney, has struggled thus far during the preseason. The team reached out to Boone at the end of July with hopes of coming to a resolution.
AFC South Notes: Richardson, Moncrief, Foster
Trent Richardson is coming off a miserable season after the Colts traded a first-round pick to acquire him early last season, but he is committed to making more of an impact in 2013, writes Stephen Holder of the Indy Star. He wants to contribute as a three-down back, improve his pass protection, and has a goal in his mind in terms of rushing yards. He would not give out the number but admitted that it was higher than 1,000 yards,
Here are some other notes from around the AFC South:
- A surprise from the Colts‘ depth chart was rookie receiver Donte Moncrief being listed as the teams starting kick returner, writes Mike Wells of ESPN.com.
“We want to win,” said head coach Chuck Pagano. “If he gives us the best opportunity to win as a kick returner as well as the receiver, then we are going to put him out there.” - The Titans had a joint practice with the Falcons today, and rookie offensive tackle Taylor Lewan got his first taste against defensive lineman from an opponent. Lewan held his own, writes John Glennon of the Tennesseean, but drew one flag for holding. He is currently battling with Michael Oher to be the team’s starting right tackle.
- Texans‘ running back Arian Foster struggled with injuries in 2013, that caused him to consider leaving the game of football. He admitted so in an interview with ESPN’s Hannah Storm. Tania Ganguli, who covers the Texans for the Worldwide Leader, transcribed this part of the interview.
Seahawks Notes: Wilson, Daniels, Bowie
Andy Dalton‘s contract extension with the Bengals shook up the day across the NFL landscape, but one player who could benefit most from those numbers is Russell Wilson, writes Sarah Kirkpatrick of SeattlePi.com.
Kirkpatrick notes that Wilson’s raw numbers are comparable to Dalton’s, and his success in the playoffs where Dalton has consistently failed make him a candidate to surpass that deal considerably. Wilson will likely begin extension talks next offseason.
Here are some other notes from around Seahawks camp:
- Offensive tackle Alvin Bailey has been filling in at left tackle admirably in Russell Okung‘s absence, writes Jayson Jenks of the Seattle Times. He expects Bailey to join the right tackle competition with Eric Winston and Justin Britt once Okung comes back healthy.
- In the same article, Bob Condotta notes that the team is giving B.J. Daniels a chance to compete for a roster spot. Tarvaris Jackson and Terrelle Pryor are currently battling for the second quarterback position, but Daniels could beat out one or both of the players. It is unclear whether the team will carry two or three quarterbacks on the roster.
- Pete Carroll wasn’t happy that right tackle Michael Bowie was claimed off waivers, but defended the decision to waive him after he reported to camp 20 pounds overweight, writes T.J. Cotterill of the News Tribune in a Q&A with the head coach.
- Cotterill also posted a Q&A with star corner Richard Sherman, who spoke about how difficult it would be for teams to replicate their defense.
Jermichael Finley Insurance Policy
Jermichael Finley is still a free agent, and the common thought is that he was searching for an NFL team for the 2014 season.
However, most fans and pundits were led to believe that if he was not able to sign a deal, or if he chose not to, he could at least fall back on an insurance policy that would pay him his permanent disability after suffering a career-threatening neck injury early last season.
Finley even said as much last month, telling Tom Pelissero of USA Today, “If I quit the game right now, I can take tax-free money, and that’s a difficult thing that I’m going through with myself.”
Unfortunately, this might not be true. The fact that he has been cleared to play and has had negotiations with NFL teams could disqualify him from claiming that his injury ended his career, and cost him some or all of the $10MM insurance policy, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports.
Getlin writes that an insurance executive and an insurance recovery attorney both agree that it is highly unlikely that Finley would still be able to collect on that policy. He notes that the insurance company would take Finley to court and argue that he was cleared to play by his doctor, and that he announced to the NFL that he was healthy and ready to be signed.
If Finley and his agent were trying to leverage the insurance policy into a larger NFL contract, and teams call his bluff, there is a chance he will walk away with neither or have to crawl back into the NFL at the veteran’s minimum.
Getlin also notes that while Finley had disability coverage, he did not purchase loss of value insurance. Disability only pays if the player cannot pay, while loss of value insurance would have paid out if he was able to sign a contract for a fraction of what he was worth before his injury.
Josh Gordon Decision Expected In 1-3 Weeks
Josh Gordon‘s appeal of his marijuana suspension concluded earlier today, but Gordon is not expecting to hear a resolution for between one and three weeks, reports Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter).
Gordon is hoping that his full-year suspension will be cut down to avoid missing the entire 2014 season. While the substance-abuse policy requires a decision within reasonable time, Gordon has a large window in which a decision could be reached.
Despite missing the first two games of the 2013 season with a suspension, he still posted one of the most prolific receiving seasons in NFL history, accumulating a league-leading 1,646 yards. That number was also the tenth most yards in a single season, even though he only played 14 games.
Even if a settlement is reached in which Gordon avoids missing the entire season, it is unlikely he will see the field enough to replicate the impact he had last season.
49ers To Sign Glenn Winston
The 49ers are expected to sign former Michigan State tailback Glenn Winston, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter).
Winston will replace Kendall Hunter, who was placed on waive/reserve earlier today. Because Hunter is a free agent this offseason, it is highly unlikely that he will be claimed off of waivers, and will spend the season on the team’s injured reserve list.
Winston worked out with the team earlier today, and will provide depth during the preseason and the rest of camp. Head coach Jim Harbaugh announced earlier that the team would be adding to their running back depth chart, according to Maiocco (via Twitter).