Aldon Smith Free To Sign With Any Team
After being cut by the 49ers earlier today, Aldon Smith‘s release has become official and he is now free to sign with any team, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter).
While his notice of termination of vested veteran has hit the NFL waiver wire, it would be naive to think he will sign with a new team immediately. As transcendent of a talent as he is, last night’s arrest is only the most recent in a long list of off-the-field issues he has had since being drafted in 2011.
The NFL has been very forgiving in the past. Only four days after Junior Gallette’s off-the-field issues became too much for the Saints to handle, Washington swooped in and signed the troubled pass rusher.
Gallette’s most recent controversies weren’t so close in the rearview mirror, and NFL team’s will likely let Smith’s most recent arrest play out until more information is had before any considers bringing him into their organization. The details so far have been condemning of Smith, who was arrested for driving under the influence, hit and run, and vandalism, according to the press release from the Santa Clara Police Department.
Smith’s 44 career sacks leaves him as the 49ers fifth all-time sack leader, despite only playing four seasons and appearing in only 50 games. His 19.5 sacks in 2012 is tied for 12th all-time in a single season in NFL history, and only three behind Michael Strahan’s record 22.5 in 2001. Talent like that will almost always find a second chance in the league.
Chris Mortensen of ESPN reached out to a number of general managers around the league, and writes that none seem ready to make a move to bring Smith into their organization at this point (via Twitter).
Mortensen notes that some of those decision makers have taken risks with players before, but with the NFL still investigating, none would be jumping to take a risk on Smith. He will assuredly serve a suspension before suiting up in a game with whoever signs him next, which further diminishes his value..
Sunday Roundup: Levy, Incognito, Fitzpatrick, Pryor, Bowers
While Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy is working on his own extension, Bobby Wagner‘s new contract has set a new bar for non-pass rushing linebackers in the NFL. Despite that big number, Levy remains focused on football, writes Justin Rogers of MLive.com.
“My agent is the negotiator, I’m the football player. I even try to stay out of it now. If something significant happens, send me a text or something,” said Levy. “My focus has never been on that, it’s about getting ready for the season, year in and year out. Whatever happens, happens.”
Here are some more notes from around the NFL this Sunday evening:
- The Bills have had their share of issues along the offensive line over recent years–including this offseason–but hopefully a player with his own baggage can help solidify things as head coach Rex Ryan has announced Richie Incognito will start at left guard for the Bills, reports Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (via Twitter).
- Staying with the AFC East, Ryan Fitzpatrick is playing well despite watching as Geno Smith takes the majority of first-team reps for the Jets, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com. “The thing we stress every day and Coach [Todd] Bowles stresses is he going to put the best guys on the field to help the team win,” Fitzpatrick said. “That is what we are all here for, to win football games.”
- One of the most interesting storylines in Browns’ camp this offseason is whether or not Terrelle Pryor can complete the position change to wide receiver. The 6’4″ former quarterback has roughly a 50/50 chance of making the team as a wideout, according to Tony Grossi of ESPN.com.
- Buccaneers defensive lineman Da’Quan Bowers has played both defensive end and defensive tackle in previous years in Tampa Bay, but head coach Lovie Smith says he will be locked in as an interior lineman in 2015, writes Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (via Twitter).
Jeremy Mincey Ends Holdout With Reworked Deal
Jeremy Mincey ended his holdout today, as expected, and while he doesn’t have a contract extension to show off, Mincey and the Cowboys have agreed to rework his contract for the 2015 season.
The renegotiated deal hasn’t been fully reported yet, but it will include at least an extra $500K in new money, which will bump up Mincey’s pay grade beyond $2MM for the upcoming season, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram.
Head coach Jason Garrett spoke very highly of his defensive veteran, and is happy to have him back with the team.
“I think that contributed to taking the ball away 31 times, second-most in the National Football League,” said Garrett. “That positively impacted the games that we played, and I think Mince was a big part of that, establishing that identity, that toughness, that relentlessness.”
As Zach Links wrote when discussing Mincey’s holdout, the veteran narrowly missed a $500K bonus based on snap count last season, despite coming up with a team high six sacks in 2014. The 31-year old had one of his best all-around seasons last year, and will be increasingly valuable to the team early on with Greg Hardy suspended for the first four games of the regular season.
The team’s second-round pick, Randy Gregory, also shows promise, but is undersized and could struggle to impact games early on. When the three hit their stride during the middle and hopefully towards the end of the season, the Cowboys could have a newfound strength on the defense.
“I think Jeremy has been a good player in this league for a number of years,” Garrett said. “He’s physically tough, and he plays hard. You want that on your football team.”
Mincey had sat out the last four days, hoping to work out out a contract extension with the team.
Trent Richardson On Raiders’ Roster Bubble
Trent Richardson was once one of the most polarizing players in the league, with many people writing the former third-overall pick off completely with a few thinking he could still rejuvenate his career in Indianapolis.
After signing a two-year deal with the Raiders that included $600,000 in guaranteed money, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com puts Richardson’s chances of making the roster at 50% (via Twitter).
After three years in the league, those who believe he can still turn his NFL career around are far and few between, and Oakland hasn’t exactly been a great spot for reclamation projects in recent years. Still, getting some guaranteed money after an extremely disappointing run with the Colts showed a vote of confidence for Richardson.
Now, as he remains on the non-football injury list, the Raiders backfield is beginning to look crowded with productive players. Latavius Murray, Roy Helu, and Michael Dyer have all made their marks early in training camp as they look to earn a spot on the roster. Teams normally carry only three running backs, and that could leave Richardson as the odd man out.
“The reality is he has some very real competition, thanks to some newfound depth on this roster,” Rapoport said. “He needs to do exactly what they ask on the field and off the field just to make this roster. … It’s possible at this point that Trent Richardson is the odd man out.”
Murray in particular has been impressive, and Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that he is not only the frontrunner to be the number one running back, but looks like he could be a really good number one back (via Twitter).
NFC Notes: Beauharnais, Dockett, Lions, Unger
With training camps going on throughout the NFL landscape, players are beginning to stand out and injuries are starting to shift depth charts already. Here are a few veterans who could be looking at new roles or new contracts as the season draws near:
- The 49ers worked out linebacker Steve Beauharnais yesterday, per John Middlekauf of 95.7 The Game (via Twitter). Beauharnais was on Washington’s active roster last season after being selected by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2013 draft.
- Coming off a torn ACL, Darnell Dockett wasn’t seen much during the beginning of the 49ers training camp. Coach Jim Tomsula said that the reason he wasn’t in there was because he might not factor into the base defense early on with all the double teams he’ll be facing, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “We’re not going to have him in there doing that,” Tomsula said. “I don’t want him in there. . . He’ll be doing more of the nickel stuff, the sub stuff. You’ll see that stuff.” That could mean more work for Ian Williams, Quinton Dial, and Glenn Dorsey.
- In his latest mailbag, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com says the Lions could extend standout linebacker DeAndre Levy soon, and he adds that Ryan Broyles has a “decent chance” of making the team’s roster provided he can stay healthy.
- James Ihedigbo, who skipped the Lions‘ early spring workouts due to frustration over his current deal, declined to talk about his contract on Sunday, simply saying that it is not time to negotiate once the season starts (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press).
- Jimmy Graham was the biggest name traded this offseason, but it is easy to forget that Max Unger was moved in that deal as well. He is currently getting accustomed to being the starting center for the Saints, and readying himself for the season in New Orleans, writes Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com. “Regardless of the reason I’m here, I’m being asked to do a job that I’ve been doing for a while,” said Unger. “I just get on the field and do it, keeping the things that I’ve been doing to get this point in my career.”
Rory Parks contributed to this post.
AFC North Notes: Steelers, Dalton, Ravens, Pryor
As training camps are inching closer and closer, Mark Kaboly of TribLive.com takes a quick look at the key additions, key losses, and training camp goals of each AFC North team. The Steelers, Bengals, and Ravens all have top goals on the defensive side of the ball, while the Browns predictably are focused on finding a quarterback between Josh McCown and Johnny Manziel.
Here are some deeper looks into each of the AFC North teams:
- Kaboly’s colleague Chris Adamski takes an extended look into the Steelers’ roster, trying to figure out what the final roster will be. He separates the players into locks, on the bubble, and on the outside, while giving some thoughts on what the team will do. The big names on the bubble include Darrius Heyward-Bey and Cam Thomas.
- Four consecutive playoff berths and an 0-4 record in the playoffs has left Bengals’ fans with a polarizing opinion of Andy Dalton. When it comes to whether he has what it takes, Cincinnati.com writers are split, with Paul Dehner Jr. skeptical and Jim Owczarski remaining optimistic he can still develop into a top-10 quarterback.
- The Ravens made the playoffs based on the strength of their running game and run defense, and John Eisenberg of BaltimoreRavens.com believes that strength in those areas will be the key to whether they can reach the playoffs again this year. Losing running-game guru Gary Kubiak from the coaching staff and perennial Pro-Bowler Haloti Ngata from the defense will make it difficult, but the team is committed to the running game on both sides of the ball.
- The Browns have reclamation project at wide receiver, in converted quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Other than a few special packages early in his college career, it has been infrequent to see him line up on the outside of the formation. Pryor has been working with Antonio Brown, Randy Moss, and Josh Gordon while preparing for training camp, writes Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. She also pulls some of his training videos from Instagram and Twitter showing his offseason progress.
Extra Points: Houston, Thomas, Vikings, Jaguars
Justin Houston signed the richest contract in the history of the Chiefs organization, and his teammates are just as excited for the star pass rusher than he is for himself, writes Chris Bumbaca of the Kansas City Star. Receiver Junior Hemingway and safety Sanders Commings both had great things to say about their teammate’s new deal.
“To have Justin back, man, it’s a good move for us. We can keep pushing, keep doing what we’re doing as a team, keep building, keep grinding, and get going — and try and get this ring,” said Hemingway. “In my eyes, he’s the best. His work ethic, just the person who he is, just being around him, you can feed off of that.”
“That guy deserves every penny. He’s one of the hardest workers on the team — most vocal leader, also leads by example,” said Commings. “He makes it easy on the rest of the defense. He can make a play before it even gets started, getting to their quarterback so fast.”
- Another AFC West star with a new deal added more headlines at a Broncos press conference, where Demaryius Thomas boldly claimed he will be chasing 2,000 receiving yards, write Troy Renck of the Denver Post. He will take over for Andre Johnson and Steve Smith as the number one option in the Gary Kubiak offense.
- Kyle Rudolph should return to his place at the top of the Vikings depth chart after missing significant time with injury last season, but the roster behind him is up in the air. Rhett Ellison, Chase Ford, fifth-round pick MyCole Pruitt, and the onside kick pariah Brandon Bostick will all battle for spots on the roster. Master Tesfatsion of the Star Tribune posits that Pruitt is a lock to make the team, meaning last year’s blocking specialist Ellison and receiving specialist Ford will have to fight each other out for what is likely the third and final spot on the roster. Tesfatsion notes that Bostwick would need a strong showing to be in position for that last spot in the team.
- The Jaguars haven’t been good in what seems like forever, but general manager Dave Caldwell is rebuilding the team from the trenches out. Ryan O’Halloran of Jacksonville.com points out that the team has devoted 20.6% of the salary cap to the offensive line, and 27.7% to the defensive line. (There is also an excellent story about wide receivers coach Jerry Sullivan and his relationship to legendary defensive coordinator Bill Arnsparger, who passed away on Friday).
NFC East Notes: Bradford, Cox, Harris, Giants
For all of the Eagles’ fans who are getting excited about the team’s outlook heading into the season with Sam Bradford at the helm, Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com is here to sober that optimism. He more or less tells the Philadelphia faithful to pump the breaks, pointing to the former first-overall pick’s poor record as a starter as well as his low completion percentage through this stage of his career. He doesn’t bury the fans for believing he will be good in Eagles green, but notes that they should be aware that they are rooting for him to dramatically turn his career around in a new city.
Here are some other notes from around the NFC East:
- With Corey Liuget, Cameron Jordan, and Cameron Heyward all signing new and lucrative extensions this offseason, Eagles‘ 3-4 defensive end Fletcher Cox is becoming an overlooked commodity in Philadelphia, writes Joe Soriano of FanSided. Although Cox has been one of the best at his position according to Pro Football Focus since entering the league in 2012 (subscription required), he was dangled as trade bait in potential Marcus Mariota deals during the draft while his contemporaries are getting long-term commitments.
- The Giants broke the bank in a move to sign return specialist Dwayne Harris away from the Cowboys offseason, and while the move was met with curiosity, Ryan Disdier writes that the team should see a great deal of value despite the high price tag, considering the inconsistency in their special teams recently.
- The Giants also have a number of questions along their offensive line, including who should start at right tackle and center. Chris Schisler projects Justin Pugh at right tackle, although he believes Pugh would move to guard if they had a viable alternative, and picks Weston Richburg to start at center.
Lions Notes: Stafford, Ansah, Abdullah, Walker
Despite cracking the 60% mark for completion percentage for only the second time in his career, head coach Jim Caldwell has set a goal for Matthew Stafford to improve on that number in 2015, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “An improvement from where he was last year,” said Caldwell. “Get a little bit better, that’s the key.” Stafford was on a two-year decline since posting a career-best 63.5% in 2011.
Here are some other notes from around the Lions organization:
- An improvement in completion percentage could propel Stafford back on to the NFL’s Top 100 list after missing it this year. Stafford had made it the previous three seasons but was notably absent after the playoff campaign in 2014. Mike O’Hara of DetroitLions.com picks Stafford as one of the five players who missed the list this year who have a shot to make it in 2016, along with Ezekiel Ansah, Ameer Abdullah, Larry Warford, and Darius Slay.
- In her weekly review for DetroitLions.com, Lindsay Selengowski focuses on how a defense that lost key pieces in Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh is coming together in time for the 2015 season. Tyrunn Walker specifically is enjoying the freedom as a defensive tackle in Teryl Austin’s system to get upfield and make plays much like Suh and Fairley before him.
- As the writers of DetroitLions.com are working hard covering the team during the slower part of the offseason, Tim Twentyman puts together a list of the top-10 special teams players the Lions will face in 2015. Their biggest challenges could come against Kansas City and Philadelphia this year, both of which have two players in the top ten.
Sunday Roundup: Bills, L.A., Dalton, McClain
Among all the chaos surrounding Aaron Kromer in Buffalo, the Bills are more than likely going to be looking for a new offensive line coach for the upcoming season. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report is asked if the organization could convince former Bills offensive line coach Jim McNally out of retirement.
McNally spent 28 seasons as an NFL offensive line coach, retiring in 2007 after a four-year tenure in Buffalo. He semi-unretired in 2010 to serve as a consultant to the Jets under Rex Ryan for two years, before taking on a similar role with the Bengals, where he began and spent most of his NFL career.
Cole notes that at 71 years old, McNally isn’t a prime candidate for the job, but that he does have the background to make him an interesting option (via Twitter).
Here are some more notes from around the NFL:
- With all the excitement surrounding the possibility of a team coming to Los Angeles, Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times makes several predictions about what to expect in the coming months from the NFL regarding the potential move. Among them, he opines that San Diego and St. Louis will present their cases at the owners’ meeting in New York but Oakland will not, that the league will sign leases with one or two temporary stadiums by the end of the year, and that the NFL will begin counting potential season ticket holders this fall.
- Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton took some swings during the Legends and Celebrity Softball Game as part of All-Star Weekend in Cincinnati, but he arrived to a mix of boos and cheers among the hometown fans, writes Paul Dehner Jr. of Cincinnati.com. Dalton was not worried about the reaction, and went on to hit two mammoth home runs during the game, to which brought the cheers in the stadium, and plenty of snark from the Twitter faithful, many of which Dehner compiled in his piece.
- With linebacker Sean Lee set to return for the Cowboys and Rolando McClain suspended for the season’s first four games, Bob Strum of the Dallas Morning News says he wouldn’t assume McClain will stick with Dallas all year, suggesting the club may decide at some point that the off-field issues aren’t worth it.
- The Broncos have until Wednesday to reach a long-term deal with franchise player Demaryius Thomas, leading Benjamin Hochman and Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post to debate as to the receiver’s value. Noting that Denver has a limited Super Bowl window given Peyton Manning‘s age, the scribes agree that the club will want to work out an extension, ultimately landing on a five-year deal in the neighborhood of $65-70MM. PFR’s Luke Adams projected the exact same figures last June.
- Staying in Denver, Broncos general manager John Elway is still positive that the disappointing 2014 draft class will have a bigger impact, even with a brand new coaching staff, according to Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. Only Bradley Roby saw significant snaps, with a number of the players selected not seeing any action at all. Second-round pick Cody Latimer saw only 37 snaps at receiver for the season, but the group should see significantly increased roles in 2015.
Luke Adams and Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.