Latest On Falcons, Matt Ryan
Over the weekend, Falcons owner Arthur Blank made it clear that he is going to work on extending Matt Ryan as soon as he can this offseason. Blank knows what it might take to re-up Ryan, and that includes make him the highest-paid quarterback, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. 
Currently, the highest-paid QB in the NFL is Andrew Luck thanks to his five-year, ~$123MM extension signed with the Colts on June 29, 2016. But, after an incredible 2016 season, the Falcons are already thinking about setting a new watermark with Ryan. Ryan’s current contract takes him through the 2018 season, but Blank apparently does not want to get near that date before discussing a deal.
“When Matt was being interviewed this week, somebody asked him, ‘What do you think about Tom Brady, his age, being 39 and will be 40 in August?’ and Matt said, ‘I’d like to play as long as Tom,’ ” Blank said recently. “That’s when I jumped up off the sofa and starting clicking my heels. We have a lot of young talent on both sides of the ball. But to have our quarterback in place for an extended period of time will be incredible news for Atlanta. Matt is in great shape and takes wonderful care of himself. So, I’m excited.”
Ryan finished the year as Pro Football Focus’ No. 2 quarterback in the NFL, second only to tonight’s opposing QB (Brady). Ryan has long been regarded as a solid starting quarterback, but this year he was undeniably in the top tier at his position.
As it stands, Ryan is scheduled to carry a $23.75MM cap charge in 2017 and a $21.65MM cap charge in 2018.
Dolphins Notes: Tunsil, Albert, Stills, Lacey
As the Patriots play for the championship, here’s a look at one of their divisional rivals, courtesy of The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson:
- A prominent Dolphins front office executive has been telling people that the Dolphins have a future Hall of Fame tackle in Laremy Tunsil, a source tells Jackson. If Tunsil’s immediate future is at the tackle position, that could prompt the team to shuffle some things on the O-Line. The Dolphins have not indicated to left tackle Branden Albert that he will be released, but they have been non-committal about whether Tunsil will move to the outside in 2017. Albert would carry a $10.6MM cap hit if he’s on the team in 2017 but he’d only be on the books for $3.4MM if he’s cut or traded. Last year, Albert had a career-worst 42.2 score on Pro Football Focus. He also missed four games due to injury.
- An “associate” of Kenny Stills says the wide receiver likes the West Coast and an offer from an AFC West or NFC West team could be attractive. At the same time, both Stills and the Fins have expressed interest in a reunion. Stills figures to be a popular guy if he reaches the open market in March and the Eagles reportedly are among the teams eyeing him.
- The agent for linebacker Deon Lacey claims the Dolphins have such high regard for his client that they told him he can compete for a starting job. Of course, as a reserve/futures signee, he’ll first have to make the team. The agent said 12 teams, including the Patriots, made offers on the former CFL standout.
Johnny Manziel Will Volunteer For Drug Tests
It’s going to be extremely hard for any team to trust Johnny Manziel and that’s why the quarterback is taking extra steps to try and repair his image. To show that he is serious this time around, Manziel plans to volunteer for testing under the NFL’s drug policy as a part of his comeback attempt, a source tells Alex Marvez of the Sporting News. 
[RELATED: Manziel Says He’s Sober]
The skeptic’s take on this would be that Manziel is simply volunteering for something that would be required of him anyway. Now, considered a “Stage Two” offender under the league’s drug policy, he would already be subject to random drug testing if signed by an NFL team. It remains to be seen whether Manziel is going to offer himself up to an even more rigorous random testing standard in the style of USADA’s monitoring.
Manziel has started working with quarterback guru George Whitfield Jr. to polish his skills and get back into football shape, Marvez hears. This week, he appeared in Houston to sign autographs but he declined to speak to the press.
Colin Kaepernick To Opt Out Of Contract
No surprise here, but Colin Kaepernick will opt out of his contract this offseason, a league source tells ESPN.com Adam Schefter. Kaepernick cannot formally opt out until March 2nd, but the decision has already been made. 
The writing has been on the wall for Kaepernick ever since Kyle Shanahan was hired as the team’s next head coach. The Falcons offensive coordinator will look to install his own brand of offense in SF and the one-time face of the team is not a fit for that system. Instead of getting squeezed out by the team, Kaepernick will break free from his deal in time for the legal tampering period.
Kaepernick obviously has not set the world on fire in recent years with his play, but he could be a low-cost option for teams that are desperate under center. At the same time, there’s no question that his polarizing activism will ward off some clubs. In a league consumed by the fear of media distractions, Kaepernick stands as the biggest lightning rod out there. Even putting his politics aside, many will be skeptical of his ability to regain his 2012-2014 form.
Perhaps the best thing going for Kaepernick is a lack of attractive QB options in this year’s draft. Mitch Trubisky of UNC seems to be rated as the top QB in this class, but it seems like he would not be in the mix for a top pick if this were a stronger QB crop. Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer and Clemson’s Deshaun Watson are also thought to be in the top three, in some order. All three come with plenty of uncertainty.
Cardinals HC Hints At Carson Palmer Return
It sounds like Carson Palmer won’t be keeping us in suspense for much longer. When asked about Carson Palmer’s future on ESPN (Twitter link), Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said, “I think he’ll announce he’s coming back real soon.” 
[RELATED: Cardinals Not Interested In Daryl Washington Return]
This week, things got murky when a report claimed Palmer had put his Arizona home up for sale, pulled his kids out of school, and relocated to another state. Soon after, another Arizona beat writer heard that no such plans were in motion. Indeed, Palmer remains rooted in Arizona and it sounds like he will remain with the club in 2017.
Palmer, a three-time Pro Bowler, will turn 37 during the ’17 season. While he has defied his age in the past, 2016 was a rough year for him and it led many to wonder if he was finished. Now that Palmer is (likely) coming back, it will be interesting to see whether the Cards still pursue other QB options. Reportedly, the team likes Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson and Bills signal caller Tyrod Taylor.
Palmer is very close with Larry Fitzgerald and the receiver’s decision to return for another season likely played a role in Palmer’s call to come back.
East Notes: Giants, Cruz, Floyd, Patriots
Here’s a look at the East divisions:
- Many expect the Giants to come to Victor Cruz with a pay cut proposal, but so far that hasn’t happened, the wide receiver says (link via James Kratch of NJ.com). Last year, Cruz took a big cut from a $7.9MM base to just $1.3MM. To stay on board, he’ll almost certainly have to agree to a similar slash. Cruz wants to stay, but he also concedes that he might be better off with a team that will regularly keep him in the slot. “That’s a good question. Maybe. You never know,” Cruz said. “I think you’ve just got to take it as it comes, eat the food that’s given to you, and see how it tastes. That’s kind of the term I like to use. But we’ll see. Playing the slot is obviously something that I’m best at, and an opportunity to do that would definitely be great.”
- If Michael Floyd has his way, he’ll return to the Patriots for another season, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes. “I hope to be back in Foxborough,” Floyd said. “I love it here. I hope that I can make that happen, for sure.” He noted that he was able to pick things up very quickly in New England despite joining the team mid-season and he wants to see what he can do there in a full year. Floyd’s career was in a free fall ever since his breakout 2013 season. Now, he may be back on the right track with the Pats.
- The Cowboys worked out quarterback Garrett Gilbert, wide receivers Bryan Burnham and Corey Washington, and tight end Andrew McCleneghen earlier this week, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Pass-catchers Quincy McDuffie and Uzoma Nwachukwu were also part of the audition group, and signed reserve/futures contracts with Dallas on Tuesday. As Archer notes, the Cowboys could have some some upheaval at the quarterback position behind Dak Prescott, as Tony Romo could be traded or released, while Mark Sanchez and Kellen Moore are free agents. Gilbert, then, could be a candidate for a deal down the road.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Cardinals Not Interested In Washington Return
Daryl Washington anticipates being reinstated this year and expects that the Cardinals will want him back in the fold. Well, we have some bad news for the suspended linebacker. When asked about the possibility of Arizona welcoming Washington back, one source told Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter), “[I] highly doubt it.” 
Washington has been encountered a number of hurdles with regards to a potential return. He was suspended indefinitely in 2014 for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. On top of that, he still could face league discipline for a domestic violence incident which resulted in one year of probation. Washington has not played since Week 17 of the 2013 season and despite his optimism, there’s no guarantee that he’ll be given the green light for 2017.
Washington, 30, earned his first career Pro Bowl nod in 2012 when he notched 134 total tackles and 9.0 sacks. Even in his final year, he continued to be productive with 75 total tackles and 3.0 sacks. Still, the Cardinals have run out of patience with Washington. If cleared, he’ll have to try and hook on elsewhere.
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AFC East
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AFC North
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AFC South
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AFC West
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NFC East
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NFC North
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NFC South
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NFC West
Saints To Re-Sign John Kuhn
Last year, John Kuhn lingered on the market until August. This time around, he has everything ironed out in early February. The Saints are re-signing Kuhn to a one-year deal with an $80K bonus, a source tells Herbie Teope of The Times-Picayune (on Twitter). 
The fullback spent the majority of his career with the Packers where he was a fan favorite. He had to adjust to a new system in New Orleans, but he handled everything quite well, grading out as Pro Football Focus’ ninth-best fullback in 2016. The veteran’s 79.7 score was roughly in line with his career average leading into last season. In addition to blocking, he also got some touches including four rushing touchdowns and 16 catches for 70 yards and one passing TD.
Kuhn will celebrate his 35th birthday before Week 1 of the 2017 season.
West Notes: 49ers, Cardinals, Chargers
After facing the Patriots on Sunday, the next daunting task for Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will be to fix the 49ers, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com writes. It won’t be easy, but plenty of people say he’s up for the task.
“He’s an excellent player evaluator, and I think he can evaluate any position,” said Atlanta quarterbacks coach Matt LaFleur, who has worked on Shanahan’s staff eight of the past nine years in three different cities. “He as a vision for what he wants, and he knows how to find those players to fit exactly what that vision is. He can recognize what players do well and put them in position to be successful. I think that’s one of his best attributes.”
Shanahan will be blocked from taking many of his assistant coaches with him to San Francisco, but Graziano says that a few of his current players could follow. Falcons backup quarterback Matt Schaub played for Shanahan in Houston and will be a free agent. Same goes for Falcons starting right guard Chris Chester, who played for him in Washington.
Here’s more out of the West divisions:
- Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington “anticipates the team wanting him back,” a source tells Joe Pequeno of CBS5 (on Twitter). Furthermore, Washington expects to be reinstated in March. This item should be taken with a kosher grain of salt since Arizona’s level of interest is unknown. Washington’s own assessment of his reinstatement process also doesn’t mean a great deal. The former Pro Bowler hasn’t played since Week 17 of the 2013 season thanks to a substance abuse ban that has yet to be lifted.
- Chargers wide receiver Travis Benjamin had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee last week, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Benjamin was dealing with a grade-2 PCL sprain for several weeks last season. There’s no mention of Benjamin potentially missing an extended period of time, so he should be good to go this summer.
- The Chargers officially terminated their lease with City of San Diego today, paying a $12.575MM termination fee in the process, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. It remains to be seen whether SD might redirect those funds towards an effort to lure the Raiders to town. As the Raiders’ planned move to Las Vegas hit some roadblocks this week, mayor Kevin Faulconer reached out to see if the Raiders might be willing to move ~500 miles south.