Jets, Giants In The Market For WR
It is no secret that the Jets are looking to improve their receiving corps. The team has struggled to find a playmaker, settling for mediocre play as of late from veterans such as Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards. The team used a high second round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft on receiving project Stephen Hill, but the 6’4″ athletic talent has been underwhelming on the field in two seasons, struggling to consistently catch the football and failing to develop his size and speed into the deep threat the Jets thought he could potentially be.
While the team has not given up on Hill just yet, neither Holmes nor Edwards are expected to be with the team in 2014, and it is imperative to the development of Geno Smith that the Jets add playmakers on the outside. Relying on Hill would be a dangerous proposition. Andrew Cohen of OverTheCap.com has guessed that the Jets could be a landing spot for the top free agent receiver Eric Decker. There could be some reservations due to the large payday Decker is looking to attract and the belief that he may not possess true number one receiver skills. Lesser talents that the Jets could be interested in include Golden Tate, who is an unrestricted free agent, and James Jones who is likely to walk from the Packers. The team could also consider pilfering talent from their roommates, by looking at Giants’ Super Bowl hero Hakeem Nicks.
Of course, if the free agent options aren’t enough, the Jets could use their first round pick on a receiver class that has some depth to it. Clemson’s Sammy Watkins is the consensus best receiver available, and will likely not make it out of the top five or ten picks. Mike Evans of Texas A&M was once thought to be a possibility, but after running well at the combine it is unlikely he will fall to the Jets either, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Evans was a possible favorite because of his tremendous size, measuring at almost 6’5″ and 220 pounds.
While Evans’ workout may have taken him out of the running for the Jets, Marquise Lee of USC might have run his way into the back half of the first round. Lee was thought to be a candidate for fastest man at the combine, but reportedly ran an unexpectedly slow 4.52 in the 40-yard dash, which could keep him on the board when the Jets select at 18th overall. If Lee runs better at the USC pro day, it still is not a given that he would be available when the Jets are on the clock. Kelvin Benjamin of Florida State and Odell Beckham Jr. of LSU could also be options for the Jets if one of the top receivers is not available.
One team standing in the Jets way is their hometown enemy, the Giants. Tom Rock of Newsday writes that the Giants are also considering using their first-round pick on a wide receiver. The Giants pick 12th in the draft, and could be looking for a replacement after the presumed exit of Nicks. While they have Rueben Randle, they are not sold on his ability to lead the offense.
While there have not been any rumblings that the Giants would look to free agency to solve their receiving problems, Rock writes that like the Jets, the Giants are interested in Evans, and if he is off the board ahead of them, could also consider Lee. If those two and Watkins are the three prizes of this draft for receivers, then it could be dangerous for the Jets to stay at 18 and expect one of the three to drop to them. The Giants have a much better shot at landing one of those three, but there is no certainty that more than one of the big three will still be around at their selection.
Luckily for both teams, there is a certain amount of depth associated with this draft. According to rankings on CBSSports.com, there could be up to 18 wide receivers graded highly enough to be options in the first three rounds of the draft, including a handful of projected second-round picks who are highly thought of and who performed well today in Indianapolis at the combine.
AFC South Notes: Johnson, Fitzpatrick, Watt
The Titans and the representation for runningback Chris Johnson met at the NFL scouting combine, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennesseean. Johnson is scheduled to make $8MM in 2014, a price that the team is unlikely to pay. Johnson might not be willing to take a pay cut, and that could result in in the runningback’s release. The cap space the Titans would gain by releasing Johnson could help pay cornerback Alterraun Verner, who made his first Pro Bowl in 2013. Here are some other notes from around the AFC South:
- New Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt is on record saying that he holds backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in high regard, writes Wyatt. “Fitz is a good quarterback. He is a veteran guy that has played, and he made some plays for this team last year,” Whisenhunt said. “I have a lot of respect for what he has done in this league.” General manager Ruston Webster had the same sentiment.
- J.J. Watt is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, and the Texans are getting closer to being forced to make a decision about the star defensive lineman’s futre, writes Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com. The team has the ability to pick up the team option for a fifth year, but much like the situation in Carolina with Cam Newton, it might be better for both sides to come to terms on a long-term extension. Ganguli does know that the team does not Watt to reach free agency.
- Other players the Texans have to make decisions on are Antonio Smith, Garrett Graham, and Earl Mitchell, writes Ganguli. The original assumption was that these three might not be in the team’s long-term plans, but the new coaching staff might have different and evolving opinions of them.
- Colts‘ general manager Ryan Grigson has put out the idea of “Don’t rule anything out” when it comes to the NFL Draft, but Mike Wells of ESPN.com is pretty close to ruling them out of moving back into the first round. He sees the depth of this draft and the many holes the Colts need to fill would make them unlikely to package multiple assets to move up.
Cohen Predicts Where Top Free Agents Land
Andrew Cohen of OverTheCap.com has been following free agency very closely, giving updates on the cap situations of every NFL team and details on current player contracts. Earlier today, he took a break from crunching numbers to examine the possible destinations on some of the league’s top free agents. After outlining the effective cap space of each NFL team, which takes into account the amount of money they would have to pay their draft selections, he shows a picture of where some of the biggest names could land.
Of his top ten free agents, he sees more than half of them returning to their teams in 2014, either via long-term contract or because of the franchise tag. Some of those players we already thought would end up with extensions or playing next year under the tag,
However, he does see a few key players changing uniforms this offseason, finding some big money with a new franchise:
- Cohen predicts Panthers‘ star Greg Hardy finding a team that run a 4-3 defense and has some cap room, such as the Raiders or Jaguars.
- The top receiver this offseason, Eric Decker has already been linked to Cleveland by Cohen earlier this offseason, and the Browns are still thought to be a front runner for his services, along with the Jets.
- Bengals‘ pass rusher Michael Johnson played under the franchise tag in 2013, and is unlikely to be tagged again. Cohen could see the Falcons cutting Osi Umenyiora and plugging Johnson into his role.
- Because of the Steelers‘ cap woes, Cohen does not think they will have the opportunity to offer Jason Worilds a contract comparative to what he would get on the open market. For that reason, he sees the pass rusher leaving for greener pastures. According to Cohen he might not have to leave the state, as he sees the Eagles 3-4 defense as a perfect landing spot for the outside linebacker.
NFC Notes: Ware, Orakpo, Giants, Gilbert
One of the biggest questions yet to be answered for the Cowboys this offseason is what to do with DeMarcus Ware, and team owner Jerry Jones said a decision needs to be made, writes Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram. Due to his high salary and his decline due to injuries, Ware is likely either to be cut or possibly to take a pay cut. While the Cowboys would struggle if they lose their top defensive player, Ware has not been open to taking a pay cut but would be willing to restructure his contract. Here are some other notes from around the NFC East:
- Redskins’ general manager Bruce Allen isn’t the only member of the organization who has publicly stated his desire to see Brian Orakpo return, writes Tarik El Bashir of CSNWashington.com. Head coach Jay Gruden also expressed his feelings about the team’s star pass rusher. “As a free agent, he’s the top priority for us. We’d love to get Brian back,” said Gruden. “But there’s a lot of issues at hand on our team. We’re evaluating every free agent that’s on our team, and that’s out there in the National Football League very hard, and we’ll make those decisions when they come up.”
- Giants general manager Jerry Reese said that he is content to allow both Justin Tuck and Hakeem Nicks test the free agent market this offseason, writes Glenn Minnis of XN Sports. “You never know,” said Reese. “We keep all of our options open. Both of those guys, they deserve to see what the market is.” Tuck and Nicks were among the best players on the team’s 2011 Super Bowl roster, but neither are expected to return to the team in 2014.
- The Eagles need to bolster a secondary that struggled against the pass in 2013, and the team could target Justin Gilbert of Oklahoma State in the first round of the NFL Draft, writes Matt Kelley of Rant Sports. He believes that Gilbert could immediately upgrade the corner position, bringing the talent the team thought they were getting when they signed Cary Williams. Kelley would be surprised if the Eagles passed on Gilbert should he be available at pick 22.
NFC Notes: Lions, Giants, Clowney, Watkins
The biggest positions of need for the Lions is thought to be cornerback after a poor performance from the secondary in 2013, and also finding a talented receiver to pair with Calvin Johnson. Even still, Josh Katzenstein of The Detroit News writes that doesn’t lock the Lions first-round pick into those positions. He writes that there are some interesting offensive tackles projected as top ten picks, including Texas A&M’s Jake Matthews, Auburn’s Greg Robinson and Michigan’s Taylor Lewan. If any of those three were still available, they would be real options for the Lions at tenth overall. Here are some other notes from the NFC:
- If Hakeem Nicks leaves the Giants in free agency, the team will have a hole to fill at receiver, writes Tom Rock of Newsday. He writes that general manager Jerry Reese is not sold that Rueben Randle can fill that role, and that the team could look to address the position in free agency or with its first-round pick.
- Rams’ head coach Jeff Fisher subscribes to the theory that you can never have enough pass rushers, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. If the Texans select a quarterback with the first pick, the Rams may have the opportunity to add a great pass rusher in Jadeveon Clowney. While it is not a position of need, he is thought to be the best player available in the draft.
- Bill Williamson of ESPN.com wrote about the possibility of the team moving up in the draft to grab a big time playmaker like Clemson’s Sammy Watkins. While Williamson thinks it is too big of a leap, as Watkins is thought of as a top five pick, if he begins to fall past tenth overall the 49ers have the resources to consider packaging picks to move up in the draft.
- John Kuhn‘s agent, Kevin Gold said there is “mutual interest” in Kuhn returning to the Packers, according to Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette (via Twitter). Gold and the Packers have been talking specifics in Indianapolis at the Scouting Combine.
Broncos Willing To Spend
Broncos’ general manager John Elway has invigorated the team since winning the battle for Peyton Manning two years ago. He quickly created a roster that dominated the AFC en route to a Super Bowl appearance. Despite the disappointing performance in the big game, Elway is focused on bringing back some of the team’s top talent in order to make another run at a championship.
Mike Klis of the Denver Post writes that the team has shown a willingness to spend under the leadership of Elway. Presumably, the entire organization understands that there is urgency to bring a Super Bowl trophy to Denver now, with Manning under center. That only gives them two or three more seasons to realistically contend as currently constructed. However, a willingness to spend doesn’t necessarily equal an improved roster due to the amount the team has already spent and their situation in regard to the salary cap.
While the team is expected to have enough cap room to maneuver this offseason, Elway did say that he believes Manning would be willing to restructure his deal if the team needed some extra flexibility. “I think we’ll be fine,” Elway said. “I don’t think (Manning) would have any problem, if we needed to find some cap room, that he wouldn’t help us out.”
Klis writes that Elway and head coach John Fox will begin discussing a contract extension. Retaining the head coach is thought to be a top priority. Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio has already received a two-year contract extension after optimizing a defense that was without its best player, Von Miller, for almost all of the season, due to suspension and injury. Del Rio also filled in admirably during Fox’s absence when his health forced him to miss games in the middle of the season.
Another urgent matter for Elway is the status of Champ Bailey‘s contract. He is scheduled to make $10MM in 2014, but due to his advanced age and declining ability it is unlikely the team would be willing to bring him back at that number. He will most likely be cut or take a pay cut to stay with the team.
As for the current Broncos about to hit free agency, Elway said the team would allow them to hit the market. While he would like to bring back many of the team’s own talent, Elway knows with some of their other key players requiring new contracts after next season that they cannot commit all of their future cap space to this season’s group of free agents.
He does note that the team wants Decker back, and that Decker expressed interest in returning as well. Even still, it could be difficult for the team to match an offer in the open market.
Colin Kaepernick, 49ers Talking Extension
Earlier today, Ian Rapaport reported that Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers have begun preliminary contract talks (via Twitter). While some believe that he could be looking at an elite payday, Dan Hanzus of NFL.com is less clear about what the quarterback’s value is. If the team is sold on his talents, the best chance they have of extending him on a fairly team-friendly deal would be this offseason.
2014 will be the last year on Kaepernick’s rookie contract, and although he was drafted in 2011, because he was not a first-round pick the 49ers do not own a team option for a fifth year of his services, like the Panthers do with Cam Newton. Kaepernick is scheduled to make just under $1MM before hitting free agency next season.
That free agency is something the 49ers would like to avoid. Hanzus writes that although Kaepernick took the league by storm after replacing an injured Alex Smith midway through the 2012 season, he struggled with consistency in 2013. The 26-year-old signal caller failed to throw for 200 yards in eight different games despite throwing for 412 yards to start the season and 310 yards to end it.
He also failed to throw for 200 yard in his final two playoff games, and turned the ball over three times in the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship Game against the eventual Super Bowl Champion Seahawks.
Kaepernick was reported saying that he was not likely to try to make his contract situation a point of contention, realizing that holding out for every last dollar would hurt the team’s ability to surround him with important players. While Hanzus makes note of the flaws in his seemingly superhuman talent, he still believes that Kaepernick’s potential upside is remarkably high, and writes that it would be a “a Tyson-in-Tokyo upset if Kaepernick ever reached the open market.”
Bills Plan To Keep Jairus Byrd
The Bills still intend on signing Jairus Byrd to a long-term deal, according to Ian Rapaport of the NFL Network (via Twitter). However, if a contract cannot be reached, Rapaport reports that the team plans to franchise their star safety.
Byrd played under the franchise tag this past season, after a tumultuous offseason where he expressed his unhappiness at failing to secure the long-term deal.
It shouldn’t be thought of as a given that Byrd will be franchised, as the Bills are still trying to come to terms with the leader of their defense. His cap number if franchised would be close to $8.3MM, which raises the question of whether the team could afford to use the tag on him again. It has been reported from early on this offseason that the team would rather sign him without having to designate him with the franchise tag.
The only reason to use the franchise tag is to guarantee that he does not reach the open market, where he would certainly draw interest as one of the biggest free agents available. He could garner attention from quite a few teams with cap space, and here at Pro Football Rumors we have already examined the possibility of him as a target for teams such as the Eagles and Falcons, or reuniting with his defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, now head coach of the Browns.
Sam Bradford’s Future With Rams
TUESDAY, 10:33am: Appearing on Mike and Mike in the Morning today, Rams coach Jeff Fisher gave Bradford a vote of confidence, reiterating that the former No. 1 pick will be the team’s quarterback to start the 2014 season (link via Pro Football Talk). However, Fisher was noncommittal about the idea of an extension for Bradford, suggesting that the Rams “talk about extensions with all our players under contract.” GM Les Snead also weighed in on the possibility today, telling ESPN’s Ed Werder (Twitter link), “We have been – and still are – open to extending Sam.”
MONDAY, 6:56pm: It is unclear whether or not the Rams and quarterback Sam Bradford are working on a contract extension, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. As Florio notes, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported today that the team had no intention of extending Bradford. Flying in the face of that report was a quote from Rams COO Kevin Demoff directly contradicting the statement.
“We’ve decided Bradford is our guy. If they wanted to do a contract extension, we would do it,” Demoff said (via Twitter).
That quote came back in September, before Bradford tore his ACL and was forced to miss the majority of the 2013 season. Florio also writes that when Demoff declared Bradford to be the quarterback of the future, other members of the organization were less than convinced.
La Canfora later heard from another source that the Rams would be open to an extension for Bradford. However, even with that update, he notes that it would still be a surprise for the two parties to reach an extension, writing that “adding guaranteed money beyond the current deal would make it cumbersome for the team to part with Bradford.”
The perfect juxtaposition to what is going on with Bradford and the Rams is the Cam Newton contract situation. These two players have contracts that will forever be linked. Bradford of course, was drafted first overall in 2010, negotiating a lucrative contract of six years and $78MM, with $50MM in guaranteed money before he had ever played an NFL game. Just one year and one CBA negotiation later, Newton was the first overall pick in 2011. Newton’s contract was very different. The Panthers signed him to a four year contract worth $22MM.
This season, Newton’s contract is coming into its option year, and the sports world is preparing for him to finally start looking for his big contract with huge guaranteed money. Bradford, on the other hand, already got his huge contract, a deal that most fans and writers would argue that he did not come close of living up to.
As of the most recent reports, neither player has been engaged of talks of extension yet. While most fans and NFL people would agree that Newton has been better, maybe even far better, than Bradford through their first contracts, both players still have plenty to prove before signing their next deals. The only difference is that Bradford has already made twice as much money on his first contract, simply by virtue of entering the league one year earlier
AFC North Notes: Mack, Collins, Pitta
With the changes in the Browns‘ front office this offseason, the status of Alex Mack‘s free agency has wavered back and forth. While Mack was once unlikely to remain with the team, Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal writes that the Browns are focused on re-signing their center. The team would like to do so without having to use the franchise tag, which would carry a price tag of over $11MM for an offensive lineman. Here are other notes from the AFC North:
- The Bengals would like to retain both left tackle Anthony Collins and safety Taylor Mays, writes Joe Reedy of the Enquirer. They also would like to be able to bring back both players on long term deals without having to exercise the franchise tag.
- The Ravens and tight end Dennis Pitta are reportedly “far apart” in contract negotiations, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The Ravens could franchise Pitta if a long-term contract is not agreed upon, but there will be contention over whether Pitta is considered a tight end or wide receiver, much like the situation with Jimmy Graham in New Orleans.
- Many draft pundits have the Steelers selecting Louis Nix of Notre Dame with the 15th overall pick, but it could be a reach according to Alan Robinson of TribLive.com. Nose tackle Steve McLendon only played a third of the Steelers’ defensive snaps in 2013, but Robinson does look to advanced stats to see that McLendon was better than he was thought to be.