East Notes: Manning, Shurmur, Ryan
Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post takes an in-depth look into how the Giants can be contenders again in 2015 as they play out the string in 2014. The good news, Hubbuch writes, is that New York will be in great shape vis-a-vis the salary cap after being in “cap jail” not too long ago. The Giants figure to have just over $118MM in cap commitments next season, and thanks to highly-lucrative television deals, the salary cap could reach over $140MM for 2015. That leaves New York plenty of room to quickly fortify their roster, especially considering next year’s free agent class looks to be especially deep.
There is, of course, one caveat to all of this: Eli Manning. Hubbuch quotes former NFL agent and current salary cap guru Joel Corry, who noted that “I would think the next six games will decide where the Giants go with Eli. It’s probably going to be a big stretch for him. I know the Giants pride themselves on loyalty, but you can’t have your quarterback out there throwing five interceptions.” However, as Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com tweets, the Giants do not really have a choice when it comes to their 34-year-0ld signal caller next season; his contract makes him virtually untouchable at this point.
So it appears as though New York will have to rebuild around Manning and hope that their vast amount of salary cap room, which could continue to grow if the team decides to part ways with players like Mathias Kiwanuka and Jon Beason, will allow them to acquire the talent to return to relevancy in the NFC East.
Now for several more items from the league’s east divisions:
- In the same piece, Hubbuch suggests five specific moves that would help turn the Giants around, which include hanging onto Manning for one more season while turning 2015 into a contract year by not extending his current deal and drafting his potential replacement in May.
- Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) released a list of top head coaching candidates for 2015, a list that includes former head coaches in the Patriots‘ Josh McDaniels and the Eagles‘ Pat Shurmur.
- Mike Pouncey, although he has agreed to play guard for the Dolphins this season, wants to return to his natural center position after the 2014 season and Miami is aware of that desire, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
- Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com believes a Jets loss to a “displaced and distracted” Bills squad this week would be “the final nail in [Rex Ryan‘s] coaching coffin.”
- We looked at Robert Griffin III‘s uncertain future in Washington earlier today.
Josh Gordon Avoids Suspension For DUI
Josh Gordon will return to the field today after serving a 10-game suspension for failing a league drug test, and he received another bit of good news this morning. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Gordon will face only a fine, and not a suspension, for his DUI conviction in September. As Florio notes, Gordon pleaded guilty to the DUI charge to “avoid the automatic two-game suspension contemplated by the revised substance-abuse policy.”
Of course, Gordon will be subject to a stiff suspension should he run afoul of that policy in the future, but he has avoided another ban for the time being and can now shift his focus to his team’s push for the AFC North crown.
RGIII’s Future In Washington In Doubt
Earlier this week, Washington head coach Jay Gruden delivered some candid remarks on the disappointing play of Robert Griffin III, saying, “He’s auditioned long enough,” and “We want Robert to excel, we really do. But the last two games, it hasn’t been very good, anywhere.” These comments came on the heels of Griffin’s own statements that many perceived as an attempt to pass some of the blame for his own poor performance to his teammates.
Unlike in years past, however, Washington’s front office is standing behind its head coach. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Gruden received support from upper management following his comments regarding Griffin, and Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that Gruden has the license to bench Griffin if his play is not good enough. Of course, this stands in stark contrast to reports three weeks ago that the decision to start Griffin over Colt McCoy and Kirk Cousins following Griffin’s return from injury came from the front office and not from Gruden himself.
However, it appears that Griffin’s lackluster play following his return has forced the administration to change its approach. As Rapoport tweets, there are no longer “special rules” in place for Griffin, rules that previously included “all-access” to Washington’s facilities for Griffin and his family. Rapoport further tweeted that the team has “internal doubts” that Griffin will ever return to his 2012 form, as the quarterback’s numerous injuries have clearly taken their toll. Although it seemed out of the question when he led Washington to the playoffs two years ago, we have seen several reports over the past few weeks suggesting that not only will Washington decline to extend Griffin this offseason, the team will not even pick up his fifth-year option.
While there is always a chance that Griffin can harness his talents and give his team reason to believe in him with a strong showing over the last few weeks months of a second consecutive disappointing season, the odds of that happening seems to grow longer with each passing day, and Washington appears to have steeled itself for a future without their once-promising star.
North Notes: Blount, Gordon, Cobb
Although he acknowledges that there is no evidence to suggest that LeGarrette Blount wanted to get himself released from the Steelers when he left the field prior to Pittsburgh’s Monday night win over the Titans, Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wonders if Blount “walk[ed] out on the Steelers so he could walk right back to the New England Patriots.” Bouchette notes that, with no ramifications whatsoever–although the Steelers certainly could have penalized him instead of essentially rewarding him for his behavior–Blount “went from a team fighting to make the playoffs to one among the favorites to win it all, one where he had success last season and was used more often than he was with the Steelers.” Even if it sounds a bit like a conspiracy theory, Bouchette believes it is fair to think that Blount knew exactly what he was doing and that everything played out according to plan for him and for New England.
Now for some more notes from the league’s north divisions:
- The Browns expect star receiver Josh Gordon to be on the field for 20-30 snaps in his first game of the 2014 season this afternoon, according to ESPN.com staff.
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that a ruling on Ray Rice‘s appeal hearing is expected by tomorrow. Even if the former Ravens running back is reinstated, of course, it will be difficult for him to find a job in the league this season.
- Even though they have been publicly silent on the issue, ESPN’s Ed Werder tweets that Vikings ownership and management were pushing throughout the season to get Adrian Peterson back on the field. Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that Minnesota’s coaching staff would love to have Peterson back, and Werder adds in a full-length piece that head coach Mike Zimmer believes Peterson has not played his last game in a Vikings uniform.
- Although he believes the Packers will work out an extension with Randall Cobb, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com writes that Cobb’s excellent 2014 season is driving up his price, possibly out of Green Bay’s budget. On the other hand, even though the Packers have a number of young wideouts on the roster, Demovsky notes that none of those players have proven they are capable of filling Cobb’s shoes.
- Ben Volin of the Boston Globe describes how Lions defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh has finally paired excellent play with clean play in his free agent season.
Saints Not Guilty Of Roster Impropriety
3:36pm: The NFL has issued a statement clearing the Saints (link via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk): “The Saints have been in compliance with league rules with regard to this situation.”
10:00am: The Saints are under investigation for possible rules infractions concerning linebacker Todd Davis, writes ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Citing unnamed sources, Schefter says that the Saints, who waived Davis on Wednesday of last week, planned to sign him back to their practice squad, so they kept him in team meetings at their training facility on Thursday. The Broncos, meanwhile, claimed Davis on Thursday after putting Nate Irving on IR.
Denver wanted to bring Davis in to practice with the team on Friday but could not reach him because he was in meetings in New Orleans. Davis ultimately met with the Broncos in St. Louis on Saturday, but by that time the NFL had already begun looking into the matter. If the Saints are found to have engaged in any sort of impropriety, which a team official denies, they could face a hefty fine. For a team that has already been in trouble with the league for a much more serious matter, illegal roster gamesmanship for a borderline NFL player would seem particularly foolish.
NFC Notes: Cutler, Lynch, Ingram
Jay Cutler‘s future with the Bears has grown quite murky over the course of his shaky 2014 campaign, and David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune writes that the league’s highest-paid player this season also looks like its worst bargain. Haugh adds that if Chicago replaces head coach Marc Trestman or GM Phil Emery in 2015, Cutler’s stability vanishes completely. Furthermore, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes, the Bears could trade Cutler after this season and save $12.5MM. The team is therefore not financially tethered to the quarterback it hoped would be its franchise savior, and Schefter reports that there would be a fair amount of interest in Cutler if Chicago were to make him available via trade.
Now for some more links from the NFC:
- Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune notes that the Vikings have stockpiled seven first-round draft choices over the past three seasons and wonders if that approach is something the Bears could use as a blueprint.
- Citing colleague Ian Rapoport, Kevin Patra of NFL.com reaffirms something that we’ve heard previously: that the Seahawks plan to move on from Marshawn Lynch after the 2014 season. Assuming Seattle does indeed go that route, Rapoport tweets that record-setting Wisconsin standout Melvin Gordon will be on the team’s radar.
- Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune writes that the Buccaneers‘ draft needs in 2015 will go far beyond the quarterback position.
- Because of their dire salary cap situation, the Saints will likely not be able to prevent Mark Ingram from hitting the free agent market, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.
- Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News provides a list of 10 issues the Giants must confront this offseason, including the fates of Tom Coughlin, Eli Manning, and Jason Pierre-Paul.
- In a piece we cited earlier, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant appears destined for the franchise tag.
NFL In LA: Jaguars Staying Put
The Jaguars are staying put in Jacksonville and will not be heading to Los Angeles, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. When former Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver sold the team to Shad Khan in 2011, there were rumors that the Jags could be on the move to the West Coast. However, Khan has quieted that talk, stating “Actions speak louder than words and [Jaguars fans are] finally seeing the actions match the talk.” Those actions, as O’Halloran points out, include Khan’s stated commitment to Jacksonville, a stadium lease that does not expire until 2030, and the $63MM in stadium enhancements that debuted in late July (Khan himself paid for $20MM of those enhancements).
But with NFL football apparently destined to remain in Jacksonville for the foreseeable future, rumors about the respective fates of the Rams, Chargers, and Raiders continue to swirl. As Brent Schrotenboer of USA Today writes, there could be as many as two spots available in Los Angeles, and each of the those three franchises “is driven by concerns that it could be stuck in its current market in an undesirable situation while the other two party up in their new shared palace.”
Of course, despite recent media reports that suggest the relocation of at least one franchise to Los Angeles is imminent, there are a number of obstacles to clear before that can happen, obstacles that Schrotenboer describes in great detail. One consideration that the league will take into account is the relative revenue gain it can anticipate from moving one or more teams to LA. San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the country, whereas Oakland and St. Louis are the 45th and 58th largest, respectively. As such, the league would have less to gain by a Chargers move than it would if the Rams or Raiders were to leave their current homes.
Nonetheless with the Jaguars essentially out of the picture, fans in St. Louis, Oakland, and San Diego have a little more reason for concern.
AFC Notes: Hoyer, Oher, Broncos
Much has been made of Brian Hoyer‘s future as the impending free agent continues to inch the Browns closer to an improbable playoff berth, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter writes that, if Hoyer does leave Cleveland after 2014–which would “shock” at least one prominent talking head–the Texans would be a likely destination. As Schefter writes, “Hoyer trusts [Texans head coach Bill] O’Brien as much as any coach in the league from their time together in New England, per sources, and would welcome a reunion.” Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt, who was the Cardinals‘ head coach during Hoyer’s one season in Arizona, would also have interest in bringing Hoyer to Tennessee. Schefter writes that a long-term deal between Hoyer and Cleveland will “get done only as soon as the Browns truly are ready to make Hoyer, not Johnny Manziel, their long-term quarterback.”
Now for some more links from the AFC (an NFC Notes post from this busy Sunday can be found here):
- The Titans are going to have to admit they made a mistake in handing a lucrative free agent deal to Michael Oher and find a new right tackle, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. Kuharsky adds that Tennessee can get out of the Oher deal “clean” after one year and $6MM, but Michael Roos will not be Oher’s replacement and the team is not going to move Taylor Lewan from left tackle.
- Mike Klis of the Denver Post describes the issues the Broncos are having with locking up their top impending free agents with in-season extensions.
- Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post makes the case for the Broncos to sign free agent guard Richie Incognito.
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports explains why Broncos star wideout Demaryius Thomas is likely to get the franchise tag.
- In the first news to come out of this saga since July, two trucking companies have formally accused Browns owner Jimmy Haslam of directing a fuel rebate conspiracy, writes Tom Feran of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
- Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star tweets that, if Reggie Wayne wants to continue playing after 2014, he will only play for the Colts. We learned earlier today that the Colts are preparing for life without their longtime stalwart.
- Leo Roth of the Democrat & Chronicle writes that the Bills should return to E.J. Manuel as their starting quarterback.
Heated Competition Expected For Duron Carter
Duron Carter, current wide receiver for the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes and son of former NFL great Cris Carter, appears ready to get his shot in the States in 2015. As Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes, Carter has emerged as a star in the CFL over the past several seasons and has led Montreal to an improbable berth in the league’s playoffs. Although the former top college recruit has dealt with myriad off-field issues and has therefore been forced to prove himself in Canada, he has apparently matured while playing north of the border and finally appears ready to capitalize on his tremendous potential.
At 6-5 and 205 pounds, Carter has tantalizing physical tools and caught 75 passes for 1,030 yards and seven touchdowns in 2014 after a 2013 campaign that saw him average an astounding 19 yards per catch. La Canfora writes that at least 10 teams have interest in the 23-year-old but that the Colts are currently viewed as the frontrunner for his services. Although the 49ers and Seahawks are also seen as contenders, the impending departure of Reggie Wayne and Indianapolis’ history of gambling on wideouts with checkered pasts–combined with GM Ryan Grigson‘s willingness to take chances and connections with the CFL–point to the Colts as the most likely landing spot at the moment.
In a separate tweet, La Canfora notes that several GMs and scouts believe Carter can be a quality starter in 2015, though he must demonstrate that he has outgrown his previous maturity issues. NFL rules dictate that Carter can begin working out for and negotiating with NFL clubs on December 1, shortly after the CFL season ends, but he cannot officially sign with a team until February. With a thin wide receiver market and a draft class that is not nearly as deep at the wideout position as the historic 2014 group, there will be heavy competition for Carter as he looks to make a belated entrance into the league that his father once dominated.
Peterson’s Take On Missed Hearing
Although Adrian Peterson missed a disciplinary hearing on Friday (which PFR’s Luke Adams discussed in detail), Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that the NFL could still make a disciplinary decision next week and that Peterson could return to the field as early Week 12.
While that sounds like good news for Peterson, he is unhappy with the NFL’s characterization of his failure to appear at Friday’s hearing. Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets that Peterson and the NFL Player’s Association would have agreed to a meeting with commissioner Roger Goodell, but they rejected a “hearing” with outside experts. In a statement issued through the NFLPA, (the full version of which can be found here), Peterson had this to say:
“The report that I backed out of a meeting with the NFL is just not true. When Roger Goodell’s office asked that I attend the “hearing” on Friday, I consulted with my union and learned that this “hearing” was something new and inconsistent with the CBA.
After consulting with the union, I told the NFL that I will attend the standard meeting with the Commissioner prior to possible imposition of discipline, as has been the long-term practice under the CBA, but I wouldn’t participate in a newly created and non-collectively bargained pre-discipline “hearing” that would include outside people I don’t know and who would have roles in the process that the NFL wouldn’t disclose.
I’m sorry for all of this, but I can’t excuse their refusal to be fair.”
Again, the grievance hearing that is scheduled for tomorrow appears set to take place as expected, with Peterson’s imminent return a possible outcome of that hearing, but this latest development may further complicate was has already become a convoluted saga. As Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk succinctly puts it, “The fight between Peterson and the NFL does not appear likely to end soon.”