Extra Points: Tags, Cowboys, Cards, Vikings
ESPN.com’s NFL Nation reporters took a crack at predicting how each team may use its franchise tag this offseason. Of note, Jeff Dickerson predicts the Bears will use their tag to retain free agent-to-be Kyle Fuller, despite a report he would not be returning to Chicago. The franchise tag for cornerbacks last season was $14.21MM. Other notable predictions included the Seahawks tagging Sheldon Richardson, the Dolphins placing their top tag on Jarvis Landry and the Giants keeping a key offensive line piece in Justin Pugh. All are among the top players at their respective positions set to hit unrestricted free agency. Miami tagging Landry would make for an interesting situation considering the fifth-year receiver and the Dolphins have been at an impasse about an extension for several months. This led to a report that Landry doesn’t believe he’ll be back in Miami. Landry’s also believed to want a deal in the $14MM-AAV range. With the wide receiver tag is expected to be worth approximately $16.2MM, Landry could be a candidate to sign a franchise tender early in the event the Dolphins proceed this way.
Here’s the latest from around the league:
- The Cowboys have reportedly expressed they will slap a franchise tag on free agent-to-be Demarcus Lawrence, but Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram believes the team will look to work out a long-term deal within the two-week window before it’s forced to designate its tag. A tag will not come before next week, Hill reports. Hill points to Dez Bryant, whom the team tagged in 2015 but worked out a long-term deal with prior to the season. The franchise tag for defensive ends is expected to be in the neighborhood of $17.5MM for the upcoming season.
- Hill also correlates Lawrence’s contract situation to the Cowboys’ plans for defensive tackle David Irving, who’s set to become a restricted free agent. The Cowboys have approximately $19MM in cap space, according to Hill, and a second-round tender for Irving plus a tag for Lawrence would consume nearly all of Dallas’ cap space. Hill notes this could lead to the restructuring of contracts for players such as Travis Frederick and Tyron Smith and Sean Lee.
- With Carson Palmer retiring, and fellow quarterbacks Blaine Gabbert, Drew Stanton and Matt Barkley due to hit free agency, the Cardinals could be in the market for up to four quarterbacks this offseason, according to Mike Jurecki of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM (on Twitter). The team will obviously seek out a starter to replace Palmer, but Jurecki believes they’ll also add at least one quarterback in the draft and add another through free agency to create depth. A combination of Palmer, Stanton and Gabbert led Arizona to an 8-8 record and third-place finish in the NFC West last year.
- Mike Remmers is set to start on the Vikings‘ offensive line next season, but where he starts on the line is still up in the air. Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune dives into the subject, noting how the team stuck with him at right guard for its two postseason games, despite the return of center Pat Elflein. An Elflein injury forced Remmers to move from right tackle to right guard in the first place. The retirement of 35-year-old Joe Berger, who Remmers filled in for at right guard, could also determine the Vikings’ course of action. Minnesota signed Remmers to a five-year, $30MM contract last offseason.
Julius Peppers Leaning Toward Returning
Julius Peppers is leaning toward returning for a 17th NFL season rather than retiring, a source close to the Panthers defensive end told Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer.
Fowler notes that the future Hall of Fame candidate has already undergone shoulder surgery this offseason and was believed to have played through the injury this past season. That wasn’t enough to stop the now-38-year-old from leading the Panthers with 11 sacks while fulfilling a part-time role.
A 2002 Panthers first-round pick, Peppers returned to his native North Carolina last year after spending three seasons with the Packers and the previous four with the Bears. Peppers has still been a reliable contributor despite approaching age 40. He’s appeared in all 16 games in each of the past 10 seasons while collecting at least seven sacks each year. Peppers also holds the Panthers’ all-time record for career sacks (92).
Peppers is set hit unrestricted free agency this offseason after signing a one-year, $3.5MM deal with the Panthers last offseason. The Panthers, who returned to the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons, also have another key free agent on its defensive line in Star Lotulelei. Mario Addison and Charles Johnson represent the other key Panthers defensive ends under contract, though the latter might profile as a cut candidate.
Extra Points: Bills, Panthers, Steelers, 49ers
ESPN’s NFL Nation identified each team’s biggest decision in free agency and Field Yates of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) took a crack at determining what each team should do with their decision. Of note, Yates believes the Bills should pay what it takes to retain free-agent cornerback E.J. Gaines. The Bills acquired the 25-year-old defensive back from the Rams prior to last season as part of a package for wide receiver Sammy Watkins and Pro Football Focus ranked him as the league’s 13th-best cornerback last season. Gaines was one of several pieces the Bills added last year to improve their secondary, including first-round selection TreDavious White and signing Micah Hyde.
Here’s more from around the league:
- With a need for help in the secondary, Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer identifies Eric Reid and Lamarcus Joyner as potential upgrades for the Panthers through free agency. Reid, 26, would provide an immediate impact and some youth to Carolina’s safety corps which includes Kurt Coleman, 29, and Mike Adams, 36. Reid, a former first-round pick, had 16 tackles in 13 games with the 49ers last season. Joyner presents a veteran presence to work alongside cornerbacks Daryl Worley and James Bradberry, whom both will be entering their third year in the league, while also being able to contribute at safety where he spent nearly all of last season with the Rams.
- Tight end Vance McDonald was a late bloomer for the Steelers last season and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler speculates the 27-year-old may be worth retaining despite the $4.3MM cap hit it’ll take to keep him in 2018. McDonald had a career-high 10 catches and 112 yards receiving in the Steelers’ playoff loss to the Jaguars. He was acquired from the 49ers 12 days prior to the Steelers’ regular-season opener and appeared in 10 games, catching 14 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown. Pittsburgh also has Jesse James at tight end, who started 14 games last season and tallied three touchdown catches.
- The 49ers will look to re-sign linebacker Brock Coyle in the wake of Reuben Foster‘s arrest on suspicion of domestic abuse, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. Coyle started 10 games last season alongside Foster, who the 49ers traded up to select with the No. 31 overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. Maiocco also opines the Niners general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan should explore middle linebacker options through free agency and the draft with Foster’s status uncertain heading into next season. Linebacker Malcolm Smith is also slated to return after missing last season with a torn pectoral. San Francisco will have either the ninth or 10th overall pick of the upcoming draft, pending a coin flip with the Raiders.
NFC East Notes: Eagles, Redskins, Cowboys
While the Eagles might not name an offensive coordinator, they have likely found their next quarterbacks coach. Assistant quarterbacks coach Press Taylor is expected to be promoted to the primary role, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Taylor will replace John DeFilippo, who was hired as the Vikings’ new offensive coordinator over the weekend. The 30-year-old Taylor joined Philadelphia under former head coach Chip Kelly, but was kept on staff when Doug Pederson came aboard in 2016. Next season, he’ll work with a rehabbing Carson Wentz and — if he’s not traded — Super Bowl MVP/backup Nick Foles.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- Defensive back Su’a Cravens applied for reinstatement on Monday, and the Redskins are expected to meet with the former second-round pick at the combine, reports John Keim of ESPN.com. Cravens, of course, didn’t play in 2017 after “retiring” — and then reversing his decision — before the season began. One talent evaluator tells Keim Washington could likely recoup a third-round pick by trading Cravens — that is, if the versatile defender didn’t come with any off-field questions. Given his saga over the past six months or so, Cravens would likely garner far less than a Day 2 selection.
- The Cowboys have yet to fill their vacant tight ends coach position, and the club has interviewed two other coaches about the role, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Longtime collegiate offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier (who recently took a job with LSU), and Brian Pariani, who has served as a tight ends coach for multiple NFL teams, are both in consideration for the job, per Archer. Dallas also lost one assistant today, as defensive staffer Turner West left the club to join Austin Peay, tweets Archer.
- Dane Brugler of the Dallas Morning News identified six prospects the Cowboys may want to look into either trading up or down for in the first round of the draft. Atop the list of players to trade up for was Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, whom Brugler believes would require the Cowboys, who hold the 19th overall pick, to move into the top 12 selections. Brugler also pointed to Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley and Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea as trade-up candidates. As for players to trade down for, of note was South Dakota State tight end Dallas Goedert, who Brugler believes the team could groom as a replacement for Jason Witten.
- The Giants have several ways to open cap space this offseason and SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano goes over players who could end up being salary-cap cuts. Veterans Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie ($8.5MM cap hit in 2018), Brandon Marshall ($6.1MM cap hit), and Janoris Jenkins ($13MM) were the most notable of the potential cuts. Vacchiano also listed Eli Apple, who the team took in the first round of the 2016 draft, as an option to clear cap space. Apple would have a $4.13MM cap hit next season.
Eagles May Not Hire Offensive Coordinator
Even with the departures of offensive coordinator Frank Reich and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, the Eagles aren’t immediately looking to bring in a new offensive coordinator, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter). Rapoport points to running backs coach Duce Staley and wide receivers coach Mike Groh taking bigger roles within the team’s offense. Head coach Doug Pederson is expected to continue to work as the team’s play-caller.
It didn’t take long for the Eagles’ coaching staff to break apart following their Super Bowl LII win over the Patriots. Reich was named the Colts’ head coach Sunday after Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels backed out from the position and DeFilippo joined Mike Zimmer‘s staff with the Vikings as an offensive coordinator. Reich and DeFilippo helped orchestrate the Eagles’ playoff run with backup Nick Foles under center, including 538 total yards of offense in the Super Bowl victory. It remains to be seen whether Carson Wentz will be able to resume his role as the team’s starting quarterback to open the regular season after tearing his ACL in Week 14.
Reich served two seasons as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator and DeFilippo served two years as the team’s quarterbacks coach.
Staley has spent the last five seasons as the Eagles’ running backs coach and worked the previous two years as a special teams quality control assistant. With a backfield committee that featured LeGarrette Blount, Jay Ajayi and Corey Clement, along with Wendell Smallwood at times, the Eagles ranked third in the NFL at 132.2 yards per game on the ground last season. The team was also without Darren Sproles for most of the year, who suffered a torn ACL in Week 3.
Last year marked Groh’s first season with the Eagles following stints as a wide receivers coach for the Bears (2013-15) and Rams (2016). His father, Al, was the head coach of the Jets in 2000. Rapoport also notes that with the Eagles’ reported decision to hold off on hiring an offensive coordinator, all the offensive and defensive coordinator positions around the league look to be filled.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.