Randall Cobb On Possible Extension
After Jordy Nelson received his contract extension yesterday, all eyes turned to Randall Cobb as the next logical extension candidate for the Packers.
Cobb however, is not yet focused on his own future with the Packers, or at the very least, is being shy about his value to the team, according to Jason Wilde of ESPN Wisconsin.
“I don’t believe I’ve done enough, and I think that’s on me,” said Cobb “My job is … to work hard and hopefully my time will come.” (via Twitter)
Cobb has never had a 1,000 yard season as a receiver, but brings tremendous value and versatility on special teams and running the football, both out of the backfield and on trick plays. Even still, he is looking to continue to earn his next contract.
“I feel I have a lot to prove. I know the player I’m capable of being,” said Cobb. “It’s just … showing that on a day-to-day basis.” (via Twitter)
The receiver is still a few weeks shy of his 24th birthday, but is exhibiting tremendous patience on his next deal, and hasn’t begun extension talks with the team as of yet, writes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“There’s nothing been said that I know of,” said Cobb. “I’ve told my agent don’t even come to me until he feels that we’re at a good spot.” (via Twitter)
However, the budding star who caught that famous fourth down touchdown from Aaron Rodgers to put the Packers in the playoffs last season has his eyes on what Nelson just signed for, and was supportive of his teammate.
“I’m beyond excited for him,” said Cobb. “He deserved every penny he got and more.” (via Twitter)
Cobb’s willingness to wait for his next contract may not be due to the humble attitude he is displaying. Cobb knows that a slow start as a rookie and an injury last year has significantly cut his value. Despite a lack of huge statistical numbers, Cobb and his agent are aware that he is thought of as one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the league, due to his skill as a receiver and a jack of all trades playmaker.
The Packers would have the best chance to lock him in to a long-term but team-friendly deal if they act before the season starts. If he does play out the season and performs to his potential, he could be in line for a contract in the mold of Percy Harvin, he could price himself off the Packers entirely.
That being said, look for the two parties to continue to try to come to a compromise that will allow Cobb to remain with the Packers through his next deal.
49ers Links: Camp Reports, Lynch, Martin
There is no shortage of information to consume for 49ers’ fans, as training camp reports have emerged from a number of sources. Tom Pelissero’s report for USA Today highlights the improved receiving group, with a healthy Michael Crabtree and a still able Anquan Boldin leading the charge.
Here are some more notes from around the 49ers’ camp:
- Pelissero also notes that with Anthony Davis recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, former Dolphin Jonathan Martin has been filling in at right tackle with the first team offense.
- The team has been intent on re-signing Crabtree, but Bill Williamson’s camp report for ESPN.com also notes that the team also plans to re-sign right guard Mike Iupati. Iupati has been one of the best interior linemen in the league, and was thought as possibly too expensive for the team to retain.
- One note from that report that needed to be highlighted further was general manager Trent Baalke’s assertion that the team only had four or five roster spots open this camp. Williamson highlighted that statement on his Twitter account.
- Williamson also highlighted a number of players who had been particularly impressive thus far in a separate report. Among those players who had been performing well were former Bills’ receiver Stevie Johnson and rookie tailback Carlos Hyde.
- Head coach Jim Harbaugh also pointed out two players who were standouts at their position in cornerbacks Tramaine Brock and Chris Culliver, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter). They separated themselves from the other corners on the roster.
- Harbaugh also complimented defensive lineman Lawrence Okoye after his first padded practice, according to Maiocco (via Twitter).
- The team has activated two rookies from the physically unable to perform and non-football injury lists in Aaron Lynch and Marcus Martin, respectively, reports Maiocco of (via Twitter).
- Although both players are now active and will participate in walk throughs, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee points out that this does not necessarily mean they will be joining padded practices just yet (via Twitter).
Minor Moves: Panthers, Seahawks, Chiefs
Here are a few Saturday minor moves from around the NFL:
- The Panthers have swapped one defender for another, waiving cornerback DeQuan Menzie and signing defensive tackle Micanor Regis, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
- The Seahawks have officially placed Marshawn Lynch on the reserve/did not report list, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter). Players with that designation don’t count toward the 90-man roster, which is how the club was able to sign two players and cut just one, as noted below.
- Wilson also clarifies (via Twitter) that tight end Adam Schiltz is joining the Chiefs as a waiver claim rather than a signing, as indicated below.
Earlier updates:
- The Seahawks have waived/injured defensive tackle Dewayne Cherrington and signed linebacker Brandon Denmark and safety Steven Terrell, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
- The Chiefs signed former Titans’ tight end Adam Schiltz to replace the retired Sean McGrath, according to Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter). The team also waived Rokevious Watkins, who was suspended for four games for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.
- The Bengals have waived offensive tackle Curtis Feigt, reports Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com (via Twitter). Feigt reportedly had already left the team after they brought in veterans at his position.
- The Falcons have signed former Colts receiver Jabin Sambrano, according to their official Twitter account.
- The Bills have signed tight end Dominique Jones, reports Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The team also waived offensive lineman Mark Asper.
49ers Notes: Crabtree, Ward, Gore, Harbaugh
Michael Crabtree is one of the top receivers set to be a free agent at the end of the 2014 season, ranking as the third best of that group according to Mike Sando of ESPN.com. Jordy Nelson, who just received a four year, $39MM extension was fourth on the same list.
That being said, Nelson has officially set the market for Crabtree, writes Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. Crabtree’s negotiations with the 49ers should start at that figure, and eclipse Nelson’s numbers in total dollars and guaranteed money by at least a few dollars.
Here are some other notes from around the team’s camp:
- 49ers’ first-round draft pick Jimmie Ward has been impressive, quickly acclimating to playing slot corner, writes Eric Branch of SFGate.com. Despite being sidelined during the spring, Ward has caught up rather quickly, and has competed strongly on the defense.
- With Kendall Hunter lost for the season, pressure has mounted on starting running back Frank Gore, without a viable backup with experience on the roster. Though there are questions with how much longer Gore can carry the load for the team, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk asserts that Gore could remain effective for a few more seasons.
- One of the biggest questions concerning the 49ers’ future, is how long will head coach Jim Harbaugh be at the helm. Harbaugh’s contract brings him through 2015, but if no extension is agreed to next offseason, the feeling is that the team will either trade him or let his contract expire, writes Florio.
Allen, Roethlisberger On Extensions
The Steelers have transitioned from one of the top young teams in the NFL into an older roster at the salary cap over recent years. They have to maximize every dollar they spend going forward, and two of their major extension candidates will not be immune to this behavior.
Cornerback Cortez Allen is approaching the final year of his rookie deal, and the team is determined to get him signed to an extension before the beginning of the season, writes Mark Kaboly of the Steel Mill. They recently made the mistake of not extending Keenan Lewis prior to his final contract year, and eventually lost him to a giant contract with the Saints.
“That’s not my concern right now. Football is my concern,” Allen said. “I am just trying to help the team win games. That stuff will take care of itself. I don’t focus on it too much.”
The team is $6.5MM under the cap as of right now, and could still fit Allen in that room with an extension.
While the team wants to extend Allen as soon as possible, they have taken a more patient approach with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The face of the franchise has two years left on his contract, but the team has traditionally extended him at that point during past negotiations.
Roethlisberger has struggled with injuries throughout his career, and at 32, is beginning to hit the downside of his career. Especially with the recent up and down play of his fellow quarterbacks of the 2004 NFL Draft, the team may not be as excited to commit themselves to a quarterback for the next five years. Eli Manning had a disastrous 2013 season, and Philip Rivers bounced back in 2014 after a sharp decline in the two years before that.
“As I put my faith and trust in them, when the time is right, we’ll get it done,” said Roethlisberger. “Now I can just concentrate on football.”
Still, Roethlisberger will have a chance to earn one final contract with serious star quarterback money. He needs to stay healthy and return the Steelers to the playoffs. Rivers bounced back to have one of his best seasons, and put him back at the forefront of NFL quarterbacks, as one of the best veteran passers in the game. Roethlisberger is a few years removed from his last Super Bowl appearance, but has been a top quarterback in the league for a long time, and save for a catastrophic year, will be in line for his extension next offseason.
AFC East Links: Revis, Moreno, Pryor
Darrelle Revis was the star acquisition of the Patriots‘ offseason, and now he is the star of their training camp, writes Ben Violin of the Boston Globe. Revis intercepted two Tom Brady passes, and broke up a third. Violin was also impressed by fellow cornerback Logan Ryan and rookie tailback James White.
Here are some more links from around the AFC East:
- Revis may have been the most impressive player in Patriots‘ camp, but the pass catchers let their offense down, writes Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. Reiss counted eight drops from receivers and backs, including two from Kenbrell Thompkins.
- Knowshon Moreno is the best pass protector the Dolphins have at running back, but may also get the starting job over Lamar Miller. If Moreno wins the starting job, that would make him an every down back, and the team may be smarter to let Miller carry the ball on early down to save Moreno, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
- Dolphins‘ rookie receiver Jarvis Landry has impressed with his work ethic, writes Steven Wine of USA Today. He has been the last receiver on the practice field, and has been a force during drills.
- With Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline, Brandon Gibson, and Landry pencilled in as the top four receivers on the Dolphins, that leaves one spot open on the roster for the position, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Fighting for that spot are Rishard Matthews, Armon Binns, Damian Williams, and Marcus Thigpen. The team may be able to keep six receivers is one of them is Thigpen, due to his value on special teams.
- Jets‘ first-round pick Calvin Pryor suffered a head injury and possible concussion during special teams practice, reports Seth Walder of the Daily News. Pryor is expected to be a starting safety for the team.
Chiefs’ Sean McGrath To Retire
Chiefs’ tight end Sean McGrath has decided to retire from the NFL, citing personal reasons, reports Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Head coach Andy Reid announced McGrath’s official decision.
The 26-year old had been reportedly considering this for a while, but was in attendance at all team activities thus far this offseason. McGrath was a backup for the team in 2013, catching 26 passes and two touchdowns in limited playing time. He was in position to compete to be the second tight end in 2014.
AFC Notes: Manuel, Luck, Bryant, Haden
Bills passer E.J. Manuel was the top quarterback selected in the 2013 NFL Draft, but failed to live up to his selection because he was unable to stay on the field last season. Manuel was forced out of the game three times due to knee injuries. He is focused on staying healthy in 2014, writes Dan Hanzus of NFL.com.
“That was one thing I had to learn: to be smart when I take off with the football,” Manuel said. “Instead of trying to get an extra three yards, either step out of bounds or slide. Those are all the nuances I had to learn.”
Here are some other notes from around the AFC:
- The Colts have a number of burning questions heading into 2014, but quarterback is not one of the more pressing issues. Even still, Kevin Bowen of Colts.com examines a few nuances of the position heading into Andrew Luck‘s third year. One noteworthy improvement Bowen will be looking for is increased efficiency on third down and in the red zone from the star quarterback.
- While the Steelers have lost receivers Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders the past few offseasons, they still employ pass catchers they feel they can rely upon, writes Marc Sessler of NFL.com. Antonio Brown is coming off a career year, and Markus Wheaton is poised for a big season himself. Rookie fourth-round pick Martavis Bryant could provide the height and physicality needed for a red zone threat.
- With the addition of LeBron James to the Cavaliers, Browns cornerback Joe Haden believes there will be a race to see which team will bring a championship to Cleveland first, writes Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “LeBron makes things happen pretty quickly, so we’re going to have to get to it. I say it’s going to be a tight fight,” says Haden. “I know me and Manziel will be pushing to make that happen before. That’s why LeBron is coming here to bring a championship to the city and I’m trying to do the same thing.” The Browns will have the first shot at it this February in Phoenix, Arizona.
Poll: Impact Free Agents
279 free agents changed teams this past offseason, but some will have more of an impact than others, writes Nathan Janke of ESPN.com. Jahnke has highlighted five players who have a chance to come in and immediately transform their team.
His top five are Branden Albert (Dolphins), Jairus Byrd (Saints), Eric Decker (Jets), Michael Johnson (Buccaneers), and Karlos Dansby (Browns).
The list seems to be missing key contributors at first glance, as big name players such as Darrelle Revis (Patriots), DeMarcus Ware (Broncos), Aqib Talib (Broncos), and Julius Peppers (Packers) fail to garner even a mention. When looking at impactful free agent pickups, even Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Giants) and Hakeem Nicks (Colts) could have been considered, as both have a chance to come in and prove their worth immediately.
However Jahnke justifies his selections by pointing out how each of the five teams he highlighted struggled in 2013, and how these five free agents were brought in specifically to turn that particular need around quickly. His reasoning pairs a statistic the team was at the bottom of the league in, with a free agent was near the top:
- The Dolphins, for example, had a mess at left tackle with Jonathan Martin and Bryant McKinnie on the field, creating a revolving door for pass rushers to fly through. Albert ranks third in the NFL in pressures allowed per game since 2011.
- Byrd was brought in to turn around a Saints defense that led the league in passing yards allowed by the safeties. Byrd’s specialty is eliminating plays of more than ten yards over the middle of the field, and turning the mistakes in that area into interceptions.
- Decker was the fifth-best receiver in the NFL in terms of yards accumulated on passes 20 yards or deeper down the field. The Jets quarterbacks were last in the league in passer rating when targeting receivers in 2013.
- Johnson is fourth in the league in pressures as a right defensive end since the beginning of the 2012 season. The Buccaneers defensive ends have missed more than twice as many tackles than the NFL average for the position.
- The Browns were third worst in the NFL in passer rating allowed by inside linebackers in 2013, and dead last in yards after catch allowed. Dansby led the league in passes defended at the position the past two season.
Jahnke ranks them in that order, but there are other free agents to consider as well. Every team hopes the players they sign in the offseason will be able to close up the biggest weaknesses on their roster, and not all of them can live up to expectations.
NFC East Notes: Escobar, Hankerson, Logan
Cowboys‘ tight end Gavin Escobar is poised to have a big year in 2014, but not at the expense of long time star Jason Witten, writes Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Unless Witten is injured or removed from a blowout, Archer expects him to be on the field for almost every snap. Where Escobar could fit in is in a pass catching role, standing up in the slot where he can take advantage of his physical skills and is not asked to block as much in the running game.
Here are some other notes from around the NFC East:
- While Redskins‘ receiver Leonard Hankerson is recovering from knee surgery, the team is unlikely to cut him unless his injury is worse than originally thought, writes John Keim of ESPN.com. The team lacks receiver depth, and Hankerson’s size makes him a desirable asset. He replaced Josh Morgan as a starter in 2013, and was playing at a high level before his injury cost him the last six games of the season.
- Fellow Redskins‘ wideout DeSean Jackson might be happy to get out of the Philadelphia cold, as some say he failed to perform when the temperature dropped. While Keim has seen Jackson fail to perform in the playoffs, he notes that the team’s new number one receiver has only seen a slight dip in production from month to month as the season wears on.
- Eagles‘ defensive tackle Bennie Logan has come into his second season focused on getting bigger and stronger, writes Andy Jasner of ESPN.com. “It was important to add some weight and strength because of the snaps and making sure I keep my weight up and don’t wear down,” said Logan. “Our scheme requires that I get to the football and move. I can’t just dig in and stand there not go sideline to sideline. It’s been a good offseason for me. I feel like I’ve made a lot of improvement and I’m far ahead of where I was last year. Let’s get it going.”