AFC East Notes: Jordan, Pats, Glenn
Dion Jordan has had a pretty disappointing beginning to his NFL career. After the Dolphins traded up to select Jordan with the third overall pick of the 2013 draft, he has been suspended on three separate occasions for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, and the third suspension is a year-long ban that will force him to miss the entirety of the 2015 season. Even when he has seen the field, he has done little to live up to the potential that compelled Miami to jump up in the draft to nab him.
In fact, prior to the announcement of his year-long suspension, the Dolphins were nearing a trade that would send Jordan to Philadelphia. Combined with his on-field disappointment and off-field struggles, those trade discussions would seem to indicate that Miami has no plans to hold onto Jordan once the 2016 season rolls around. But as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald and Darin Gantt of ProFootballTalk write, that may not be the case. Per Jackson and Gantt, the Dolphins are not actively trying to collect the bonus money they are entitled to recoup as a result of Jordan’s suspension–roughly $3.35MM–which suggests that they may give him one more chance to prove himself on what promises to be a talented defensive front next year.
Let’s take a look at a few more notes from the AFC East:
- Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com says that if Roger Goodell does not wholly vacate Tom Brady‘s four-game suspension, Brady and his legal team will continue the fight in court. However, as Ben Volin of The Boston Globe writes, “going to court carries risk of Brady exposing himself and the Patriots to the discovery process, which could put a famously secretive organization in the open, not to mention the potential that Brady loses in court and has to serve his suspension late in the 2015 season, when the Patriots are trying to clinch a playoff spot.”
- In the same piece cited above, Reiss writes that former Patriots guard Dan Connolly may have played his last snap. Reiss reports that the Buccaneers made a pretty strong pitch to Connolly, who would have had the chance to reunite with Logan Mankins in Tampa Bay, but Connolly did not want to move so far away from his family. So unless New England decides to extend an offer, which it is unlikely to do unless the team suffers an injury along the offensive line, Connolly appears prepared to hang up the spikes.
- Cordy Glenn, whose contract expires at the end of this season, does not even know if he will be lining up at right or left tackle for the Bills in 2015, writes Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News. Although Glenn has been the team’s regular left tackle since 2012, he spent much of the offseason practices this year alternating between left and right tackle with Seantrel Henderson. But Glenn is trying not to concern himself with his contract situation as he focuses on learning a new position. “I’m just going to come to work and see what happens,” Glenn said. “That’s all I can do.”
Michael Bennett To Hold Out?
Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett did not show up for the team’s voluntary OTAs in the spring, and as PFR’s Ben Levine wrote last month, that absence was the result of Bennett’s displeasure with his current contract. Although Bennett just signed a four-year deal in March 2014, the average annual value of that deal, $7.125MM, ranks him 14th among 4-3 defensive ends. And, since Bennett recorded seven sacks in 2014 and was the second-best player at his position group per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), he believes he has outplayed his contract.
According to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times, Bennett may consider holding out of training camp in the hopes of reworking his deal. Bennett, who makes his offseason home in Honolulu, told Honolulu television station KHON2, “Of course, I think I’ve outplayed the contract that they gave me. It’s one of those things where you have to let your agent (Drew Rosenhaus) do the talking with the team and hopefully something good comes out of it. It never hurts to try.”
As Condotta points out, however, Bennett did show up for Seattle’s mandatory minicamp last week, so odds are good that he will report for training camp as well. Furthermore, players can be fined up to $30,000 per day for holding out, and even though the team is not required to actually assess those fines once a player ultimately reports, Bennett does have some financial incentive to show up for camp.
Therefore, Condotta believes that Bennett’s recent comments are simply designed to let the team know that he remains unhappy with his contract. It is well-established that the Seahawks do not rework deals with more than a year left, so, as Condotta writes, “Almost no one thinks Bennett has any real chance of getting a new deal from the Seahawks.” Marshawn Lynch, whose contract situation was discussed ad nauseum last year, was able to get his deal partially reworked, but his holdout did not result in a full renegotiation.
And it is unlikely that Bennett will get even a reworking of his deal. He has been an important piece of the team’s success in each of the past two seasons, but with three years left on his contract, the Seahawks, who will soon be committing a significant portion of their salary cap to Russell Wilson, simply have no incentive to revisit the matter. If his 2015 performance matches what he did in 2014, then perhaps Bennett will find the team a bit more willing to talk.
Sunday Roundup: Kelly, Beachum, Fauria
Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer says that coaches like the Eagles‘ Chip Kelly, who exercise control over both the football and business side of a team’s operations, frequently succumb to the pressures and difficulties of absolute power. Bill Belichick has managed to make it work in New England, but he is the exception to the rule.
Philadelphia’s recent saga with Evan Mathis demonstrates just how difficult Kelly’s position can be. As McLane writes, “Kelly received nothing in return for a Pro Bowl guard who had little leverage and claimed that he was prepared to report and perform without being a disruption – as he did last year.” And if the decision to release Mathis turns out to be a poor one, Kelly will have no higher authority to share the blame.
Although players will typically side with their teammates when asked about contract difficulties, the responses to Mathis’ release suggest that Kelly is still commanding respect in the locker room even as he takes full control of the team’s personnel affairs. McLane says that Mathis’ former teammates offered “vociferous support of management” after Mathis was cut, and tight end Zach Ertz had this to say: “I understand where [Mathis is] coming from. In his mind he thinks he’s underpaid, so he’s got to do what he thinks is best. But we want people here that are going to trust the process.”
Of course, there will be many more difficult personnel decisions to be made, decisions that will truly test whether Kelly can first construct a talented roster and then get that roster to win football games. It is a decidedly tall task, and one that most have been unable to meet.
Now let’s take a look at some links from around the league:
- One of Kelly’s acquisitions this offseason was Miles Austin, who signed a one-year, $2.3MM deal with the club. Austin might not be getting a lot of attention from those outside the Eagles locker room, but Kelly himself is pleased with what he has seen from the one-time star, writes Connor Orr of NFL.com. “He’s got really, really good range,” Kelly said. “Catches the ball extremely well. Intelligent. Kind of knows the subtleties of the exact route running, kind of exactly where to maybe place his elbow to get separation in terms of pushing off the hip and things like that. And he’s imparted that on the younger guys, which I think has really helped us to have that true veteran route runner in there, and I think he’s been really good at doing that.”
- The Colts have four locks to make the team at wide receiver in T.Y. Hilton, Andre Johnson, Donte Moncrief, and first-round pick Phillip Dorsett, writes Kevin Bowen of Colts.com. After that, they have three players competing for either one or two spots in Vincent Brown, Duron Carter, and Griff Whalen.
- David Newton of ESPN.com says Jerricho Cotchery is likely to make the Panthers‘ final roster due to his leadership abilities, but Newton does not see him making a significant on-field contribution considering the talent ahead of him on the depth chart.
- In the same piece, Newton says he does not see the Panthers making any significant additions along the offensive line unless there is a major injury in training camp, even if a player like the newly-acquired Michael Oher struggles.
- The Steelers have not spoken with tackle Kelvin Beachum, who is entering the final year of his contract, about a new deal, tweets Alex Marvez of FOXSports.com. Beachum though, says he is not sweating his contract situation and is fully focused on the 2015 season.
- Tashaun Gipson is the talk of the town in Tony Grossi’s latest mailbag for ESPN.com, and Grossi writes that the recent contract drama surrounding Gipson has created a bad vibe between player and team. He also addresses whether the Browns could keep Johnny Manziel inactive all year during his recovery.
- Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com is somewhat surprised by how limited Lions tight end Joseph Fauria was in the spring, and the fact that the team signed David Ausberry and attempted to claim Tim Wright off waivers suggests that Detroit is at least considering contingency plans. That said, Fauria is expected to be ready for training camp, and the Lions continue to be impressed by his upside.
Rob DiRe contributed to this post.
AFC Notes: Tarell Brown, Gipson, Fins
The Ravens‘ secondary was their weakest unit last season, and it may have cost them a chance at the AFC Championship game. To that end, the team has added Kyle Arrington and Cassius Vaughn in free agency this offseason, and Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun believes Baltimore may not be done bolstering its cornerback corps. Wilson writes that the Ravens have shown interest in 30-year-old free agent corner Tarell Brown, who played for the Raiders last season after spending the first seven years of his career with the 49ers.
Although Brown finished with a -4.6 overall rating last year per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), placing him 75th out of 108 eligible corners, he did play through a broken foot, and he finished with strong ratings in each of the previous three seasons, even ranking as the 13th-best corner in the league in 2012. He also brings significant starting experience, having started 114 games in his career while amassing 295 tackles and 11 interceptions. Brown may not be a top-flight corner, but he would offer solid production and invaluable depth for a relatively modest price.
Let’s take a look at a few more notes from around the AFC:
- Unless the Browns make Tashaun Gipson a blockbuster offer, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com believes Gipson will play out the 2015 campaign on his second-round tender and take his chances on the open market next offseason.
- Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer saw Johnny Manziel practice recently, and Pluto writes that Manziel did make “a few good medium throws” and is reportedly limiting his pre-snap issues, but he did struggle with red-zone drills and appears to have difficulty seeing the whole field. Pluto writes that Manziel is currently “not even close to the caliber of play that Josh McCown has shown at quarterback.”
- Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post examines the five biggest issues the Broncos face heading into training camp next month, including their left tackle and inside linebacker positions.
- Ben Volin of The Boston Globe examines the Patriots‘ salary cap situation, noting that despite carrying over $14MM in dead money, New England is sitting pretty with just under $10MM in cap space. Of course, considering the number of departures the team has had to deal with this offseason, it is not surprising that the Pats have some spending flexibility.
- The Dolphins have a good problem in that it will be more difficult for the team to pare the roster to 53 players than it has been in recent seasons, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson writes that there is a glut of high-ceiling, if unproven, talent in Miami’s secondary, and the team will have to make sacrifices in other areas to retain that talent.
- In the same piece, Jackson writes that the Dolphins may have interest in Evan Mathis, but they are not currently interested in “consolation prize” guards like Dan Connolly and John Moffitt.
- Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union offers his projections on the Jaguars‘ 53-man roster.
Sturm, Cowlishaw On Dez Bryant
Bob Sturm and Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News recently hosted a pair of digital chats with Cowboys fans, and Dez Bryant‘s uncertain contract situation predictably played a major role in those conversations. Sturm, after pointing out that an elite wide receiver generally does not offer the same type of value as an elite quarterback, left tackle, pass rusher, or corner, explains why Bryant is an exception to that rule and notes that owner Jerry Jones fully appreciates Bryant’s value to the franchise. As such, Sturm does not believe that Jones is panicking, and although the July 15 deadline to get a long-term deal worked out may be too close for comfort for Dallas fans, it is an eternity away for someone like Jones. Sturm still believes a deal will get done, and that it will probably happen right before deadline day.
There are some who believe that the Cowboys simply do not want to offer a long-term deal to Bryant, who has had some off-field concerns in his past. But Sturm’s comments regarding Jones’ love of Bryant belie that idea, and Cowlishaw believes the possibility that the Cowboys really don’t want to do a long-term deal with Bryant is very slim. Instead, even though there is a chance that a receiver like Demaryius Thomas, A.J. Green, or Julio Jones will break the bank before Bryant gets a new contract, thereby forcing the Cowboys to fall in line with a $100MM+ mega-deal, they appear willing to take that risk and just let the process run its course, confident in the knowledge that they will get a deal done in the end.
Sturm reiterates that no one really knows what Bryant’s demands are, or what the Cowboys are willing to offer. The last proposal that the Cowboys extended included a contract with a value of over $100MM but with just $20MM or so in guaranteed money, which would be less than market value for someone like Bryant. If Dallas has not bettered that offer–and it sounds as if the two sides might not have had substantive discussions in months–then public perception would certainly be on Bryant’s side. Ultimately, the Cowboys will probably have to raise the guaranteed money to the $30-35MM range, which would give him more guarantees than any receiver not named Calvin Johnson.
And reading between the lines, that appears to be how this stalemate will be resolved. Sturm applauds the hardline stance that the Cowboys have taken with Bryant, especially considering how willing the team used to be to hand out massive contracts to players like Marion Barber and Jay Ratliff, but they realize how valuable Bryant is to the franchise, and Bryant realizes that, for all of his talent, the current CBA climate does not offer him a great deal of leverage. So even if the next couple of weeks make Cowboys fans sweat a bit, the prediction here–not a bold one, to be sure–is that Bryant will be playing his home games in Dallas for the foreseeable future.
Sunday Roundup: Long, Wilkerson, Irvin
Let’s have a look at some links from around the league on this Sunday afternoon:
- After Will Beatty‘s torn pectoral muscle threw the Giants‘ offensive line into a state of confusion, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com has received a number of questions from Giants fans curious about the status of free agent tackle Jake Long. Raanan writes that even though Long tore his ACL two years in a row, there will be a starting job for him somewhere this season if he is healthy. The Giants are still in the mix, but Long appears content to let the market for his services play out.
- The Patriots have lost a number of big names this offseason, but Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com says tight end is one area where the team may have gotten stronger. Newly-acquired Scott Chandler will team with Rob Gronkowski to create a formidable pair of towers at the position, and Reiss predicts New England will deploy a number of two-tight end sets in 2015, just as they did in 2011 with Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.
- Cameron Jordan recently signed a new five-year, $55MM deal with the Saints, and despite the similarities between Jordan and Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com believes Wilkerson will be aiming even higher. Jordan got $33.5MM in total guarantees, and Cimini thinks Wilkerson is seeking at least $40MM in guaranteed money.
- Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com writes that Washington defensive coordinator Joe Barry does not plan on moving any of his cornerbacks to safety in an effort to bolster the team’s long-floundering safety corps.
- Zach Miller has not played a regular season game since 2011, thanks to a bevy of injuries that have derailed his career. But for the second straight season, Miller is performing well in the Bears‘ offseason workouts, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. And if Miller can remain healthy, he could become a valuable weapon for Jay Cutler and take some pressure off Alshon Jeffery, rookie Kevin White, and first-string tight end Martellus Bennett.
- When asked if his client had requested a trade, the agent for new Browns and former 49ers punter Andy Lee did not answer directly, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter). The agent simply said it was an amicable parting that worked well for all involved.
- Despite recent comments that created a minor controversy in Seattle, Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin said yesterday, “I would love to be in Seattle. That was the team that gave me a chance when nobody else did.” But as Manouk Akopyan of NFL.com writes, given the pending extensions that the Seahawks will undoubtedly hand out to Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson, and considering the amount of money Seattle has already invested in retaining players like Marshawn Lynch and Richard Sherman, Irvin will likely find greener pastures elsewhere.
- The Jaguars plan to frequently utilize two- and three-tight end looks this season under new offensive coordinator Greg Olson, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. That scheme will offer plenty of playing time for Marcedes Lewis and Clay Harbor, who now find themselves behind Julius Thomas on the team’s depth chart.
- In the same piece, O’Halloran writes that even though Tyler Shatley earned a place on the Jaguars‘ roster as an undrafted rookie guard last season, his task will be even more difficult this year. The team has shifted him over to center, which Shatley has never played, and Jacksonville appears committed to Stefen Wisniewski or Luke Bowanko at the position.
Poll: Fate Of Three Big-Name Pass Rushers?
Between the three of them, they have accumulated 330 sacks over the course of 15 years. At different points in their careers, they were among the most-feared pass rushers in the league. But now, Dwight Freeney, 35, John Abraham, 37, and Osi Umenyiora, 33, are nearing the end of the line, and if they get another contract, it will probably be their last.
That is not to say that they have nothing left to offer. In his excellent profile of Freeney two months ago, PFR’s Dallas Robinson explained how the long-time Colt was able to effectively disrupt the passing game in 2014, his only full season with the Chargers. As Robinson wrote, Freeney did not post gaudy sack totals in San Diego, but he placed third among qualifying 3-4 OLBs with 40 quarterback hurries, and 14th with nine QB hits. Furthermore, Freeney has experience both with his hand in the ground and standing up, so he would not be limited to any one scheme.
Abraham, meanwhile, lost his 2014 season due to concussion-related issues, and doctors told him last September that he should sit out for at least a year. Our Luke Adams wrote at that time that Abraham was most likely headed towards retirement, but he did post 11.5 sacks for the Cardinals in 2013–earning his fifth Pro Bowl nod in the process–and he is consistently mentioned as an option for teams that may find themselves in need of a situational pass rusher as we get closer to the start of the regular season. So until Abraham officially calls it a career, we will continue to hear his name bandied about.
Umenyiora, the youngest of the group, recorded a mere 2.5 sacks in 16 games for the Falcons last year, and has not put up double-digit sacks since 2010. However, he did get 26 quarterback hurries and 6 quarterback hits in just 347 snaps, so it is clear he can still be effective in a situational role. Despite his limited playing time, he did rate as the 22nd-best 4-3 defensive end out of 59 eligible players, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required).
All of the above players, assuming they do not retire, are in line for a one-year deal with limited value. They will be called upon if a team suffers an injury to one of its pass rushers in training camp, or if a younger edge rusher fails to live up to expectations. And as they have shown, they can provide a boost to a club’s pass rushing game if deployed appropriately. They may not be the players they once were, but they may have enough left in the tank to help a contender get over the hump in 2015.
So what say you? Which of the three players above is most likely to suit up for an NFL team this season?
Which big-name veteran pass rusher is most likely to get another chance?
-
Dwight Freeney 39% (168)
-
Osi Umenyiora 34% (148)
-
They will all be back 18% (79)
-
John Abraham 9% (37)
Total votes: 432
AFC North Notes: McCown, Carter, Thomas
Much has been made of the Browns‘ quarterback situation heading into 2015, with a great deal of the discussion revolving around second-year signal-caller Johnny Manziel. But there has been significantly less attention devoted to the man who will more than likely be under center when Week 1 rolls around, Josh McCown.
McCown, signed to a three-year, $14MM contract this offseason, is not the solution at quarterback that Cleveland fans desperately seek. He is 35, and he has largely served as a backup in his 12 seasons in the league, compiling a 17-32 record as a starter. However, head coach Mike Pettine thinks that even if McCown is not the long-term answer, he does represent the next best thing. Pettine had this to say at yesterday’s Fan Fest (from Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal):
“Until you feel you’ve found what you would call a long-term solution, I don’t think we could have done any better than bringing in a guy like Josh McCown…It’s like having another coach on the field, and it’s all genuine. That’s the thing you like the most. Despite his age, people that have been at practice agree, he can still spin it. We didn’t just look to bring in a guy who was just going to be a mentor. We wanted a guy who we think can still play a little bit if you put him in the right circumstances. He’s been more than advertised.”
As Ulrich writes, Pettine’s comments, which were echoed by GM Ray Farmer, suggest that McCown is not only the favorite to win the starting job out of training camp this season, he is a lock.
Let’s check out a couple of more links from the AFC North:
- As we learned several weeks ago, Browns safety Tashaun Gipson is the only restricted free agent who appears demonstratively unhappy with his contract situation, as he was offered a second-round tender rather than a first-round tender. As Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com writes, the Browns should have gone the extra mile and extended the first-round offer, which would have cost the team an extra $1MM but would have set a positive tone for extension talks. Grossi believes, however, that the situation could still be resolved amicably.
- By releasing Jacoby Jones this offseason, the Ravens left themselves a hole at kick returner. One of the early favorites for that role, Michael Campanaro, has struggled with injury in his young career, and though cornerback Lardarius Webb was an effective returner a few years ago, injuries have taken their toll on him as well, and Baltimore does not want to risk losing their No. 2 corner to a special teams injury. As Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com writes, that leaves the door wide open for undrafted free agent DeAndre Carter, the diminutive receiver who showed explosive speed at Sacramento State and whose chances to stick on the 53-man roster seem to increase with each passing day.
- Shamarko Thomas has battled injury in his first two seasons in the league, but in the wake of Troy Polamalu‘s retirement, he now has the chance to establish himself as the Steelers‘ long-term answer at strong safety. Ralph N. Paulk of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review describes the work that Thomas has put in this offseason to ensure that he capitalizes on his opportunity, work that has not gone unnoticed by Thomas’ running mate st safety, Mike Mitchell.
Sunday Roundup: NFL In LA, Austin, Martin
Let’s have a look at a few links from around the league, which include a few Twitter mailbags:
- As San Diego tries to keep the Chargers from moving to Los Angeles, it is becoming increasingly clear that the team has all the leverage, writes David Garrick of the San Diego Union-Tribune. As Garrick writes, the city has to make a new stadium deal sweet enough to make the Chargers want to stay, but not too sweet, because then it would be rejected at the polls. It is a tightrope that will be exceedingly difficult to walk.
- Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com takes a look at how the explosive Tavon Austin will fit in the Rams‘ run-heavy offense, and he also notes that Brian Quick should be ready to suit up for Week 1.
- Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com believes the Bears‘ overhaul of their defense is a two-year project, and the team will need another offseason to complement its core of players like Pernell McPhee and Kyle Fuller.
- John Keim of ESPN.com is surprised that Washington did not do more to address its thin tight end position in the offseason, but at this point, the team will simply have to hope Jordan Reed stays healthy or that someone like Chase Dixon or Je’Ron Hamm develops.
- Doug Martin recently moved from California to Tampa Bay even though the Buccaneers opted not to pick up the option on the fifth year of his rookie contract. But now that Tampa Bay is truly home for Martin, Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune writes that the injury-plagued back will have every incentive to earn a new deal with the club.
- Mike Wells of ESPN.com believes it is unlikely that the Colts will add another player to compete for the right tackle spot. Jack Mewhort and Joe Reitz are getting the majority of the snaps there at the moment, but newly-acquired Todd Herremans can play right tackle if necessary and Indianapolis remains optimistic that Gosder Cherilus can make a healthy return.
AFC East Notes: Pats, Rice, Wilkerson
After checking in on the status of two embattled running backs earlier today, let’s have a look at a few links from the AFC East:
- With the mass exodus that the Patriots have experienced at cornerback this offseason, Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald writes that Devin McCourty could shift from his safety position to corner, where he played reasonably well during his first several seasons in the league. But given how good of a safety he has become, such a move would not be optimal for New England.
- Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes that Brandon LaFell, who is under contract with the Patriots for two more years and $5.3MM, changed agents recently to Neil Schwartz and Jonathan Feinsod, the same agents who represent Darrelle Revis. Volin wonders if LaFell, after an excellent 2014 season, is preparing to ask for a new contract.
- In the same piece, Volin writes that the Patriots will likely enter into contract negotiations with Rob Gronkowski in the near future. Gronkowski has a $10MM option bonus due next March that would trigger another four years and $37MM total.
- We learned earlier today that the Bills might be a good landing spot for Ray Rice, but Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets that Buffalo is not interested in the former Ravens star.
- Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes that the Jets are “spitting out cash like an ATM” when it comes to imported players, citing Brandon Marshall‘s restructure as the most recent example. Cimini believes it’s now time for the team’s best homegrown talent, Muhammad Wilkerson, to get a new deal.
- In the same piece, Cimini writes that the Jets have an unusually large amount of money tied up in players 30 years old or older, and he passes along details of Leonard Williams‘ rookie contract.