Panthers Notes: Draft, Free Agency, Wharton
It’s been a busy week for the Panthers. They put the franchise tag on defensive end Greg Hardy, they saw longtime stalwart at offensive tackle Jordan Gross retire, and there are now reports that Steve Smith is distrustful of GM Dave Gettleman. Naturally, Panthers fans have a lot of questions, and David Newton of ESPN.com addresses some of the most pertinent ones in a recent mailbag:
- Newton clears up some confusion regarding the team’s cap space. Despite earlier reports that the team was $28MM under the cap prior to franchising Hardy, Newton notes that the number was actually closer to $24MM. However, even if the Panthers cannot work out a long-term deal with Hardy, his $12.5MM cap hit will still give them enough room to retain some of their own free agents–like safety Mike Mitchell–and to pursue mid- to low-level free agents from other clubs.
- Newton believes Carolina will target an offensive tackle either in free agency or the draft–or perhaps both–but if they pursue a free agent, it will not be a high-priced one. And if the Panthers do, in fact, sign a tackle in free agency, that would make it much more likely that they would address their other top offensive priority–wide receiver–with their first round pick (No. 28 overall).
- Nonetheless, Newton notes that if the Panthers have to choose between wideout and offensive tackle with their first pick, they will likely go with the tackle, as the class of wide receivers in this year’s draft is very deep.
- Finally, Newton does not believe Travelle Wharton will be back with the club in 2014. He observes that Wharton was brought in last season because of injuries to younger players who are expected to be healthy this season, and he adds that cap issues will also play a part in precluding his return.
Jets, Bucs, Bears Have Interest In McCown
March 2: McCown reiterated to Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune that he would prefer to remain with Chicago “so long as an agreeable deal materializes.” Such a deal would of course include a raise over the $865K salary he received last season, but McCown is also seeking an opportunity to showcase his experience and leadership. McCown insisted, however, that he could accomplish those goals without being a starter. That could come as welcome news to teams like the Jets and Bucs, who are looking for a capable insurance plan and legitimate camp competition for their young QBs.
February 24: While McCown may be on the Jets’ wish list, the signal-caller will also draw strong interest from the Bears and Buccaneers, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
February 23: The Jets are eyeing free agent QB Josh McCown, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. After his strong performance in relief of the injured Jay Cutler last year, McCown figures to have a number of suitors for his services when free agency opens March 11, and the Jets appear ready to throw their hat into the ring.
Although McCown has expressed his desire to stay in Chicago, and although the Bears have said they would do everything they could to fulfill that desire, teams in need of a backup QB or teams that have a questionable starter at the position could look at McCown as a solid veteran option. The Raiders, who have no clear long-term solution at quarterback, and the 49ers, who may have a need for a backup QB with Colt McCoy an impending free agent, have been named as potential landing spots.
The Jets, meanwhile, have high hopes for second-year QB Geno Smith but hope to have a more settled situation behind him in case he falters. Last year, David Garrard was never viewed as a realistic option when Smith struggled, and Matt Simms–who was the “official” backup–had even less experience than Smith. McCown would give the Jets a viable alternative if Smith consistently underperforms in 2014, and he at least would provide legitimate competition in camp.
AFC East Rumors: Jets, Wilfork, Dolphins
It’s been a fairly busy day at the Jets rumor mill. We learned earlier that the team is eyeing veteran QB Josh McCown, and they are also looking at RBs Ben Tate and Donald Brown, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN New York. More quick notes from the AFC East:
- Given defensive tackle Vince Wilfork‘s age, his recent Achilles tear, and the fact that his contract is up at the end of the 2014 season, Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald writes that the time is now for the Patriots to draft Wilfork’s replacement. Guregian notes that the Pats should target a big defensive tackle early in the draft, and although Florida State’s Timmy Jernigan and Notre Dame’s Louis Nix will likely be gone by the time New England picks with the No. 29 overall selection, there will be some quality options available. Such options include Minnesota’s Ra’Shede Hageman, Pittsburgh’s Aaron Donald, and Penn State’s DaQuan Jones.
- James Walker of ESPN.com notes that the Dolphins‘ bleak offseason could improve dramatically in the coming weeks. For the second consecutive year, the Dolphins will have a great deal of money to spend in free agency. With the salary cap expected to increase to $130MM, Miami could have up to $36MM in cap space, enough room to target their weaknesses on the O-line and in the secondary, and to re-sign some of their own free agents.
- Speaking of the Miami secondary, Walker does not see re-signing Chris Clemons as a priority. He notes that the Dolphins would like a more dynamic playmaker to pair with Reshad Jones.
- We rounded up some Buffalo Bills rumors here earlier today.
Buccaneers To Seek Veteran QB
Earlier today, we learned that the Jets may be in the market for a veteran QB–specifically Josh McCown–to push young signal-caller Geno Smith. Now, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that the Buccaneers are “absolutely” looking to bring in an experienced quarterback to compete with and possibly replace second-year QB Mike Glennon.
With just five picks in the 2014 draft but a great deal of cap space to work with, Tampa Bay plans to be active in free agency, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. New GM Jason Licht said that, with a new coach and a new regime, he cannot simply “hand the keys over” to the incumbent QB and declare him the starter without at least bringing in some competition. New head coach Lovie Smith agreed, stating, “This roster wasn’t set up with our system in mind. Not that it’s going to be that much different, but we’ll probably change more players than you think.”
Regarding his quarterback situation, Smith added, “In an ideal world, you would like to have some kind of a veteran in the mix instead of three young guys that haven’t played a lot. I think you can maybe get away with it at some of the other positions, but it’s not ideal (at quarterback).”
Of course, as Florio observes, the veterans available on the free agent market are more placeholders than long-term answers. Those options include McCown, Michael Vick, Matt Cassel, and (most likely) Matt Schaub.
Titans Rumors: Locker, Johnson, Verner
Although Titans team president/CEO Tommy Smith recently lent his full endorsement to QB Jake Locker, Locker can expect to have some competition, according to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. Although it is expected that the 2014 draft’s top quarterbacks–Johnny Manizel, Teddy Bridgewater, and Blake Bortles–will be off the board by the time the Titans pick with the 11th overall selection, new head coach Ken Whisenhunt noted that there is a lot of talent at the position in this year’s draft and that he would like to have “five or six” of the incoming QBs.
Potential options to provide some younger competition for Locker that could be had after the first round include Derek Carr, Aaron Murray, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Zach Mettenberger, all of whom have enough talent to be starters in the league. Of course, the Titans also have Ryan Fitzpatrick under contract. Although his $2.75MM base salary puts him at risk of being a cap casualty, Titans officials have indicated that they “feel comfortable” with Fitzpatrick. In any event, 2014 seems to be Locker’s last year to prove he is Tennessee’s long-term solution at quarterback.
A couple quick updates on two of the bigger names on the Titans roster:
- There has been no change in talks with RB Chris Johnson, according to Wyatt (via Twitter). Our Luke Adams noted last week that it is widely expected the Titans will cut Johnson, and since then, GM Ruston Webster indicated the team will be patient when it comes to a decision regarding Johnson. Wyatt tweeted that Johnson will “stick to his word” and will not accept a pay cut.
- Wyatt also tweets that the Titans are continuing to talk to CB Alterraun Verner, but that nothing is imminent. As Adams pointed out several days ago, the Titans would love to keep Verner but do not want to use the franchise tag on him.
Bills Notes: QBs, Johnson, Dareus, Williams
Although it is unusual for a team’s general manager to make definitive statements at this time of year, Bills GM Doug Whaley made it clear that his club will not take a quarterback with its first-round pick, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak. Starting quarterback E.J. Manuel was the only quarterback selected in the first round of last year’s draft, which boasted a weak class of QBs. Given the more talented group of quarterbacks in the 2014 class, and given that Manuel suffered his third knee injury in December, there has been speculation that the Bills would take a QB in the first round for the second consecutive year. Whaley, however, indicated that the Bills would not go in that direction.
More notes out of Buffalo:
- Wide receiver Stevie Johnson‘s future with the team is uncertain, given that he is due a sizable roster bonus in March. However, head coach Doug Marrone has reached out to Johnson to assure him that the team still wants him. As Tim Graham of the Buffalo News reported, there was some disconnect between Johnson and the Bills’ coaching staff last season, and his “act” was wearing thin among his teammates.
- Whaley says that a contract extension for defensive tackle Marcell Dareus is “on the radar,” but it does not sound as though it is a priority right now. Since Dareus was a first-round pick under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Bills hold a team option on him for the 2015 season.
- Although defensive end Mario Williams will cost the Bills a hefty $18.8MM cap hit in 2014, Whaley indicated that he has no intention of restructuring Williams’ deal at this time.
- In a separate piece for the Buffalo News, Graham indicates that the Bills met with Jairus Byrd‘s agent on Saturday and that the team still hopes to sign Byrd to a long-term deal.
Re-Signing Alex Mack Top Priority For Browns
The Browns have made re-signing center Alex Mack their No. 1 priority, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). As our own Rob DiRe observed last week, Mack was unlikely to remain with Cleveland under the team’s old regime. However, after the surprising front office shake-up in Cleveland, new team officials would like to keep Mack in a Browns uniform but would prefer to do so without using the $11MM franchise tag for offensive linemen.
Rapoport’s tweet indicates that the Browns not only want to keep Mack, but that they have put a contract for the talented center at the top of their to-do list.
James Jones Likely Done In Green Bay
The Packers have not offered wide receiver James Jones a contract, and they most likely will let him walk when free agency opens on March 11, according to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal. Citing an unnamed source, McGinn writes that the Packers do not plan to even offer Jones a contract.
Jones’ agent, Frank Bauer, said, “I don’t think [Packer’s GM] Ted Thompson wants him.” Bauer added that he had appointments with a “handful” of teams to discuss Jones. Although Jones has had a solid career for Green Bay, including a league-high 14 TD catches in 2012, his free agent stock will be hurt by his age (he will be 30 in March) and by the fact that the 2014 draft class is very deep at the wide receiver position. Furthermore, the Packers may try to enter into extension talks with top wideouts Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb sooner rather than later, as both players are eligible for unrestricted free agency after the 2014 season.
Another factor in the Packers’ decision to let Jones walk is the emergence of Jarrett Boykin. Last year, in his second season in the league, Boykin caught 49 passes for 681 yards and 3 TDs. McGinn notes that, just as Jones’ presence made it easier for Green Bay to let Greg Jennings walk last spring, Boykin’s presence will make it easier for the team to let Jones depart this offseason.
Will Smith Open To 4-3 Or 3-4 Defense
Although Will Smith, one of the Saints’ most recent salary cap casualties, would prefer to return to his natural position as a defensive end in a 4-3 front, he remains open to serving as a 3-4 outside linebacker as well, according to NFL.com’s Kevin Petra. Of course, Smith expected to move to outside linebacker last season after Rob Ryan was hired as the Saints defensive coordinator, but a torn ACL ended his season before it ever really began. Smith said:
“I think I’m at heart a 4-3 defensive end. That’s something I would like to play. But if I go to a team that requires me to play outside linebacker, I’m cool with that too.”
As Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio writes, Smith is wise to keep his options open. Just last season, Dwight Freeney expressed a desire to return to his natural position of 4-3 defensive end, but when Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram tore his ACL, a different opportunity opened up for Freeney.
Smith’s track record as a pass-rusher is likely to appeal to a number of teams, particularly if those teams believe he would be open to whichever defensive scheme they utilize. His age (he will be 33 when the season begins) will keep his cost down, and as players like Freeney, John Abraham, and James Harrison proved last season, there is a market for an older player that can still get after the quarterback. Furthermore, since Smith was cut and was not an unrestricted free agent, he would not count against the compensatory pick formula, making him even more attractive to teams that keep an especially close eye on their compensatory selections.
As Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com writes, Smith is an eminently viable option for the Patriots. However, he will likely have a number of suitors to choose from as the offseason progresses.
NFC North Notes: Raji, Vikings, Harper
ESPN Wisconsin’s Jason Wilde continues his position-by-position outlook of the Packers by delving into Green Bay’s defensive line and linebackers. With regards to the defensive line, NFL Insider Ian Rapoport recently reported that the Packers would try to remake the unit with smaller and more athletic players, which DC Dom Capers has historically preferred. If the team does go in that direction, it could simply let unrestricted free agents B.J. Raji, Ryan Pickett, Johnny Jolly, and C.J. Wilson–all of whom offer more size than speed or athleticism–find a new employer. The biggest name of that group, of course, is Raji, whose rejection of an $8MM/year offer last fall suggests that he is unhappy with his role in the Packers’ scheme and that he is ready to move on. In any event, Green Bay is looking at a great deal of turnover on the defensive line, and it remains to be seen if they will add depth to the unit via free agency, the draft–the Packers have used a high pick on a defensive lineman in each of the past two years–or both.
As far as their linebackers are concerned, the big question the Packers face is what to do with Mike Neal. Neal was a revelation in 2013, moving from defensive end to outside linebacker and thriving in that role. While that was good news for Green Bay last season, Neal, an unrestricted free agent, is well-positioned to receive a significant offer from another club this season. With 2012 first-round pick Nick Perry still an unproven commodity at this point–injuries have shrouded each of his first two years in the league–the Packers may have no other choice but to retain Neal, lest they face another season with Clay Matthews as the only legitimate play-maker in the linebacking corps.
More notes from the NFC North:
- As noted by our own Rob DiRe last week, Vikings GM Rick Spielman wants to add another two picks to the team’s 2014 draft. ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling thinks the best way to do that would be for Minnesota to trade back from its No. 8 overall selection. Such a move would be especially tempting if the draft’s top quarterbacks are off the board at that point. Goessling adds that, even if the Vikings could not get a top-flight QB with the eighth overall pick, they would be wise to grab Clemson’s Sammy Watkins if he’s still available. Watkins could team with Cordarrelle Patterson, Greg Jennings, and Adrian Peterson to form a formidable group of offensive weapons.
- ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein believes the top priority for the Lions this offseason is at wide receiver, a belief reinforced by the recent release of Nate Burleson. Tight end would also be a high priority, particularly if the Lions cannot re-sign Brandon Pettigrew. As noted last week, Detroit’s outlook at tight end beyond Pettigrew is uninspiring.
- Although ESPN.com’s Michael C. Wright opined last week that the recently-released Roman Harper would probably cost too much for the Bears to sign, he does note that Harper would still be a viable option if another team does not spend big on him.