Extra Points: Roseman, Mack, Ponder
After the infamous failures of the Eagles’ “Dream Team” several seasons ago, GM Howie Roseman is trying to lead his team away from its big-spending traditions, writes Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com. Even before the “Dream Team” was assembled, the Eagles handed sizable contracts to Terrell Owens, Stacy Andrews, Asante Samuel, and many others besides. This year, though, Roseman does not plan to attack the team’s weaknesses by throwing money at the current crop of top free agents.
For instance, safeties T.J. Ward and Jairus Byrd would certainly go a long way towards addressing Philadelphia’s deficiencies in the middle of its defense. However, those players will command hefty contracts, and Roseman believes it is becoming more and more difficult to justify those types of deals.
Roseman indicated he would be “open” to a lucrative, long-term deal for a free agent who was young enough, who filled a need, and who played at a very high level. However, he says:
“You see there are fewer and fewer of those players available in free agency, so what happens is good players get great player money, pretty good players get really good player money, and then it throws around the whole structure of your roster.”
As a result, Roseman is attempting to build through the draft and sign those free agents who fit the city’s blue-collar identity rather than assembling a fantasy collection of big names.
Other news from around the league:
- Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida-TImes Union thinks the Jaguars should target free agent C Alex Mack given the lack of experience that their in-house options have. Although it has been well-established that Mack stands to become the highest-paid center in the league, ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco says the Jags have enough room to make such a move. O’Halloran adds that, if Jacksonville were to land Mack, it could move one of those inexperienced internal candidates to left guard.
- DiRocco says Jacksonville could also settle for a cheaper option at center like Ryan Wendell, and interior offensive linemen the team could target in the draft include Marcus Martin, Russell Bodine, and Trai Turner.
- Although there has been plenty of speculation as to how the Vikings will address their quarterback situation this offseason–thereby implying that Christian Ponder is not seen as the long-term answer–new OC Norv Turner will give Ponder a real chance to win the starting job, says ESPN.com’s Tom Carpenter.
- Meanwhile, ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper thinks the Vikings will take QB Blake Bortles with their first selection in the draft, adding a young and legitimate competitor for Ponder and possibly Matt Cassel.
49ers Roundup: Trades, Iupati, James
The 49ers are unlikely to trade any of their players who are set to become free agents at the end of the 2014 season simply because of their contract status, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Although G Mike Iupati may not be with the team beyond 2014, as was noted earlier, and although WR Michael Crabtree is sure to command a high-dollar contract after the upcoming season, San Francisco is not going to trade its key pieces for a little cap relief and draft picks. As they did last offseason, the 49ers will likely wait until late in training camp to assess where they have a surplus of talent and will try to deal from that surplus to add to its 2015 draft haul.
More from the Bay Area:
- LaMichael James could be one of those players who finds himself on the trading block, according to Maiocco. The team does have a great deal of talent at running back, with Frank Gore, Marcus Lattimore (assuming he’s healthy), Kendall Hunter, and any other additions it may make in the offseason. However, the 49ers would have to first find a replacement in the return game if they were to deal James.
- The 49ers want to keep free agent safety Donte Whitner, but if they are unable to do so, Maiocco thinks they will pursue a replacement who has the same physical traits as Eric Reid. That way, DC Vic Fangio could use Reid and the new safety interchangeably to add variety to his play-calling and schemes.
- ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson agrees with Maiocco regarding Iupati. Although Iupati will not be a top priority given that the 49ers will have to lock down Colin Kaepernick, Aldon Smith, and Crabtree sooner rather than later, San Francisco is well-equipped to make a run at Super Bowl XLIX and “[p]ursuing a Super Bowl with Iupati is better than doing it without him.”
Bears Notes: Peppers, Jernigan, Harper
With less than 30 days before the free agent market opens, the Bears cannot begin to think about pursuing any free agents before they decide what to do with DE Julius Peppers, says Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. It has already been noted that Peppers, who carries a cap hit of over $18MM for 2014, would be willing to restructure his contract, and it was previously reported that Peppers would simply have to take a pay cut if he wanted to remain in Chicago. Biggs notes that such a pay cut would have to be quite substantial, and Peppers has already restructured his deal twice over the last four seasons to create more cap room.
However, there are a number of factors that impact any decision regarding Peppers. Biggs notes that Peppers, despite his age (34) and disappointing 2013 season, is the only legitimate pass-rusher on the roster, and he must be replaced–or there must be a replacement on the radar–before the Bears let him go. Furthermore, releasing Peppers would create about $8.3MM of dead money, which could be spread out over two seasons if the Bears cut him after June 1. If they chose that route, they would create $14MM of cap space for 2014. If they cut him before June 1, they would eat all the dead money right away and would create $9.8MM of cap space.
Either way, the Bears would have some wiggle room if they released Peppers, though it is unclear what their cash budget is going to be after signing Jay Cutler, Tim Jennings, Matt Slauson, and Robbie Gould. Biggs lays out some of the ways they could spend the money saved by cutting Peppers to bring in another pass rusher. He lists Brian Orakpo, Michael Bennett, and Michael Johnson as potential targets, and notes that Everson Griffin of the Vikings and Willie Young of the Lions could also be considered.
The draft, meanwhile is likely not the place to replace Peppers, as there are not many top-flight 4-3 defensive ends in this year’s class, and Jadeveon Clowney will almost certainly not fall to the Bears with the fourteenth overall pick.
As the Bears decide what to do about their aging star, here are some other musings from Chicago:
- Given the Bears’ struggles defending the run in 2o13, as well as the injuries to impending free agent defensive tackles Henry Melton and Nate Collins, ESPN.com’s Michael C. Wright thinks Florida State DT Timmy Jernigan would make a lot of sense for Chicago.
- Wright does not believe the Bears will take a wideout in the later rounds, and he believes the team will give Marquess Wilson the opportunity to become the “speed element” of the passing game to complement Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery.
- Wright also does not think that the Bears will pursue Saints safety Roman Harper should he be cut by New Orleans. There would be value in pairing the veteran Harper with young safety Chris Conte, but Harper would likely demand more money than the Bears would be willing to pay.
Lions Notes: Pettigrew, Draft, Tate
Now that the Lions have taken one of the top free agent centers off the market after re-signing the ever-loyal Dominic Raiola to a one-year contract, they can now turn their attention to free agent TE Brandon Pettigrew, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. New Lions OC Joe Lombardi, who recently indicated that he expects to be the Lions offensive play-caller in 2014 despite never having called a play in the NFL, observed that Pettigrew is an increasingly rare breed of tight end in that he can excel as a blocker and receiver.
However, the Lions may have a lot of competition for Pettigrew. The 29-year-old has two 70-plus catch seasons on his resume, which, combined with his blocking abilities and the relatively murky tight end market, could land him a big-money deal. Indeed, even if Tony Gonzalex changes his mind about retirement for the second consecutive year, he is hardly a long-term solution for any potential suitor, and it is unlikely he would go to a team other than the Falcons–or conceivably Kansas City–anyway. The Ravens are likely to either put the franchise tag on Dennis Pitta or re-sign him to a long-term contract, and the health concerns of Jermichael Finley make his future uncertain at best. Jimmy Graham, who would be the ultimate free agent prize, will either get the franchise tag or a multi-year deal with the Saints. By attrition, then, Pettigrew becomes the most attractive tight end available.
Given Detroit’s internal options at the position, though, the team may have no other choice but to somehow bring Pettigrew back. The only tight ends currently under contract are Michael Williams and the talented-but-raw Joseph Fauria. They also have control of restricted free agent Dorin Dickerson and the exclusive rights to free agent Matt Veldman. The cost of the 2014 franchise tag for tight ends is projected to be slightly over $6MM, and that may be the route the Lions choose to pursue with Pettigrew.
Some other notes from the Motor City:
- Jimmy Kempski of Philly.com predicts Detroit will receive a fourth-round compensatory pick after losing tackle Gosder Cherilus to free agency last year, but because the Lions were active themselves in the free agent market in 2013, that will probably be the only compensatory selection they receive.
- ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein thinks the Lions could draft Clemson WR Sammy Watkins with the tenth overall pick if he falls that far. Vanderbilt’s Jordan Matthews and Penn State’s Allen Robinson could be potential targets in the second round.
- In any event, Rothstein thinks the Lions could target two wideouts in free agency, one as an outside receiver and one to play the slot. He notes that new head coach Jim Caldwell has traditionally preferred having receivers over 6 feet tall on his roster.
- Seahawks WR Golden Tate is unlikely to be an option for Detroit, as he has previously expressed that he would be willing to take a “hometown discount” to remain in Seattle.
Patriots Notes: Franchise Tag, Wilfork
Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald examines what, if anything, the Patriots will do with the franchise tag this offseason. She notes that, after the 2012 season, New England had three players who were considered legitimate candidates for the tag: Aqib Talib, Wes Welker, and Sebastian Vollmer. Of course, the Pats let Talib hit the open market, eventually re-signing him to a one-year deal. They locked up Vollmer to a long-term contract, and they let Welker walk.
This year, there are only two Patriots free agents who could realistically receive the tag: Talib and Julian Edelman. Although the cost of the franchise tag for cornerbacks and wide receives is fairly similar, somewhere in the $11MM ballpark, Guregian believes New England will not consider tagging Edelman. After all, Welker was not tagged last season–when the cost of the tag for wide receivers was $11.4MM– and he had a more extensive history of productivity and chemistry with Tom Brady.
However, given Talib’s importance to the defense and the possibility that the cost for all talented defensive backs might spike with the recent play of the Seahawks’ secondary, it will not be so easy to let him test free agency for the second straight year. Nonetheless, Guregian, perhaps with the Patriots’ relatively small cap space in mind, thinks Talib will indeed have a chance to shop his services to other teams, while New England will look to negotiate a long-term deal with him. She believes the team will not tag Talib to buy extra time to work out a deal, as they did with Vince Wilfork in 2010.
Speaking of Wilfork, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss believes the Patriots will not cut the big defensive tackle just yet. He will cost the team $11.5MM against the cap, but even at age 32, Reiss feels Wilfork’s performance will still justify the price. As noted previously, Joel Corry on CBSSports.com sees the Patriots trying to restructure Wilfork’s contract to gain some cap flexibility for 2014.
Extra Points: Hatcher, Jackson, Mack
Cowboys free agent defensive tackle Jason Hatcher‘s best-case scenario might be to sign a club-friendly deal with Dallas, writes Bleacher Report’s Dan Pompei. Although Hatcher’s breakout campaign in 2013, which included a career-best 11 sacks, may have been enough to land him a lucrative deal under different circumstances, his age (32) and past performance will likely limit his market. Before 2013, Hatcher’s career high was 4.5 sacks, and Pompei believes it will be difficult for Hatcher to match or surpass last season’s success.
Some other notes from around the league:
- Pompei notes that Steven Jackson is likely to remain with the Falcons. Jackson has struggled with injuries throughout his career, but Atlanta officials thought Jackson ran well when healthy and that his lackluster season was influenced by poor blocking from his linemen.
- Pompei also thinks it is highly unlikely that Browns free agent center Alex Mack will get the franchise tag because it would cost the Browns around $11MM. The tag for offensive linemen as a whole is driven by the salaries of offensive tackles, which explains why it would be so expensive to tag Mack despite the fact that no center made more than $5.5MM last year. Pompei believes Mack will become the highest-paid center in the game, but he does not give an opinion as to who he thinks may land him.
- In a pre-Super Bowl Twitter mailbag, Tony Grossi of ESPN.com tweets that it is unlikely the Browns will retain Mack, and he reaffirms his belief that Cleveland will use the franchise tag on safety T.J. Ward. Grossi said Ward himself expects the tag.
Bucs Notes: Williams, Glennon, Clowney
Although Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams signed a five-year contract worth just under $40MM last season, his status with the team is far from certain, according to Tom Carpenter of ESPN.com. After tearing his hamstring halfway through the 2013 campaign, Williams accumulated over $200K in fines for being late to team meetings, missing team meetings altogether, and missing his scheduled rehab days, problems exacerbated by the “constant partying” that Williams documented on his Instagram account.
Carpenter writes that Williams’ behavior did not come as much of a surprise to former GM Mark Dominik. Dominik structured Williams’ new deal so that the team would have an “out” in 2014 if it needed one. As Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report observes, Williams’ deal includes a base salary of just $1.2MM in 2014. That way, if the wideout’s maturity became too much of an issue, or if his 2013 performance did not merit the length of the contract or the financial commitment, the team could release him this offseason and suffer just a $1.8MM cap hit in 2014.
However, new head coach Lovie Smith would probably like to have someone with Williams’ potential on board, particularly since his cap hit this year is so low. Since Williams’ contract is no longer guaranteed after 2014, the Bucs can simply go in a different direction if Williams doesn’t live up to that potential.
A couple of other Bucs tidbits:
- For his part, ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas seems to think Williams will be back with Tampa Bay next year. In response to a reader’s question as to whether the Bucs will draft a receiver in the early rounds of the 2014 draft, Yasinskas said he thinks that the team has greater needs in other areas but that Tampa Bay would do well to target a speed receiver in the middle rounds of the draft or in free agency to complement Williams and fellow wide receiver Vincent Jackson.
- In what is becoming an increasingly-popular question from fans around the league, another reader asks Yasinskas if the Buccaneers will trade up in the draft to nab South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. Yasinskas replied that the Bucs would only make such a move if the team is comfortable with Mike Glennon as their quarterback. If so, and if the Bucs therefore don’t believe they need to take a QB in the first round, Yaskinsas thinks the defensive-minded Smith may push for the elite pass rusher.
Redskins Notes: Rebuilding, Orakpo, Safeties
It was already reported that the Redskins may be looking at wholesale changes in the interior of their offensive line, given the departure of offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and his zone-blocking scheme. New head coach Jay Gruden, who ran more of a power-blocking scheme while in Cincinnati, did say that he liked the effectiveness of Washington’s running game last year, so the fates of Kory Lichtensteiger, Will Montgomery, and Chris Chester remain in flux. Here are some more notes from the nation’s capital:
- Rich Tandler of CSNWashington believes that the Redskins are in full-fledged rebuilding mode. They are coming off a 3-13 record, have a new head coach, 20 of last year’s players are set to become free agents, and GM Bruce Allen expects to have 20 new players on the roster in 2014. However, given that the team has $30MM in cap space and a viable answer at quarterback, Tandler believes the rebuild could see results sooner rather than later.
- Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington examines the Redskins’ outlook at outside linebacker, one of the few position groups that had consistent success in 2013. However, Washington faces a difficult decision with free agent OLB Brian Orakpo. Orakpo rebounded well from his injury-plagued 2012 campaign, in which he played only two games due to injury. He fared well against the run, showed improvement in coverage, and once again showed why he is considered one of the better pass rushers in the league, collecting 10 sacks. El-Bashir, though, thinks Orakpo belongs in the second tier of outside linebackers, and that the Redskins would do well to sign him to a contract befitting that status: somewhere in the $6.7MM-$9MM range. If the Redskins can’t get him for that price, El-Bashir believes they should part ways.
- Tandler, meanwhile, thinks the Redskins should put the franchise tag on Orakpo. The tag would cost just under $11MM, and if Orakpo performs poorly or is injured again, the Redskins can simply walk away after 2014. But if Orakpo has another terrific season, they could put the tag on him again. The projected $13MM cost of the 2015 franchise tag for outside linebackers would be a bargain for Orakpo at that point.
- In a separate piece, Tandler looks at some of the Redskins’ potential targets at the safety position. Since safety Brandon Meriweather‘s contract voids five days after the Super Bowl, the team may have a big hole in the middle of their defense in 2014. Tandler thinks Washington will almost certainly pursue a safety in May’s draft, perhaps as high the second round. Tandler points to Jimmie Ward, Vinnie Sunseri, Ed Reynolds, Terrence Brooks, and Deone Bucannon as viable options.
Dolphins Hire Dennis Hickey As GM
4:43pm: The Dolphins have issued a statement on the hire on their team website.
4:14pm: The Dolphins will introduce Hickey at a press conference on Tuesday, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (via Twitter).
10:24am: The Dolphins have finally settled on a new general manager, hiring former Tampa Bay director of player personnel Dennis Hickey, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. The Dolphins’ search for a GM has been widely-discussed among national and local writers, particularly after Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio turned down the job earlier this week. James Walker, who covers the Dolphins for ESPN.com, tweeted yesterday that Miami completely botched the GM search, and he tweeted today that Hickey was probably not even the Dolphins’ fifth or sixth choice when this process began.
Walker may well be correct in his assessment. ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that, not long before they hired Hickey, the Dolphins offered the job to Titans Vice President of Football Operations Lake Dawson. Dawson turned down the job as well, and Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets that Dawson released a statement saying that Miami was not an “ideal fit” and that “details of the offer didn’t align with my vision.” Adding to the curiosity of the situation is that the Buccaneers, who recently hired Jason Licht as their GM, did not even interview Hickey for that role.
Hickey worked for the Buccaneers for 18 years, and served as the director of player personnel for the last three seasons. He was an important part of Tampa Bay’s major splashes over the past couple of years, as the team signed Pro Bowl safety Dashon Goldson and traded for All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis before the 2013 season and signed Pro Bowl wide receiver Vincent Jackson prior to the 2012 season. The 2012 draft may have been the highlight of Hickey’s career with the Bucs. That year’s class included highly-regarded players like safety Mark Barron, running back Doug Martin, and linebacker Lavonte David.
Hickey takes over for Jeff Ireland, who had been the Dolphins’ GM since 2008. Ireland and the Dolphins “mutually agreed” to part ways several weeks ago, setting off Miami’s unusual search for a replacement that culminated with Hickey’s acceptance earlier today. Hickey does not inherit a bare cupboard by any means, as the Dolphins narrowly missed the playoffs this season and have solid talent on both sides of the ball. Nonetheless, the fact that at least two candidates turned down such a high-profile position does lead to speculation regarding the stability of the front office. Attempting to read between the lines of Dawson’s rejection, Volin tweeted simply, “that place is a mess.”
More On Dolphins’ Front Office
3:07pm: Several Dolphins players have expressed an interest in leaving the team, tweets Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. The unidentified Dolphins are likely frustrated by the public dysfunction exhibited by ownership regarding the GM search and control over roster decisions.
1:55pm: Hickey was likely going to be fired by the Buccaneers after the draft, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). Additionally, many candidates for the Miami GM job may have turned down the position due to a lack of personnel control, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. It appears as though head coach Joe Philbin has gained more sway during the Dolphins power struggle, as Salugero also tweets that Philbin will have “some say” over personnel.
12:56pm: Dolphins assistant general manager Brian Gaine is not likely to stay with the team long-term, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Gaine was one of the candidates brought in for a second interview for the Dolphin’s general manager job, which was given to Dennis Hickey earlier today. Although the Dolphins would like to keep Gaine on board, Salguero further tweeted that Gaine understands he has no real chance of advancement with Miami.
Miami’s search for a GM would have certainly left Gaine with that impression, as the job was offered to several candidates who turned it down before Hickey accepted. As Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com tweets, Gaine did not have a chance to be Miami’s GM unless everyone declined it. A source told Marvez that Gaine is too connected with recently-departed GM Jeff Ireland.
CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora believes that whoever accepted the Dolphins GM job may not have that position for very long anyway. La Canfora tweets that, if the Dolphins stumble in 2014, it is believed that owner Stephen Ross will likely renew his pursuit of a big-name head coach. If he is able to land such a coach, the entire front office will probably be purged.