Texans Seeking Hopkins, Bouye Extensions
No surprise here, but the Texans are hoping to hammer out an extension with DeAndre Hopkins this offseason, owner Bob McNair told reporters on Wednesday (link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle). Last year, Hopkins staged a brief holdout at the start of training camp over his contractual situation. McNair also says he wants to strike a long-term deal with pending free agent cornerback A.J. Bouye. 
[RELATED: Mutual Interest Between Texans, A.J. Bouye]
“Those are good young players,” McNair said of Hopkins and Bouye. “Those are the kind of players that we want to keep around here. So, yeah, certainly we’re going to work on that and see if we can get both of them taken care of. It’s certainly our intention.”
Hopkins is scheduled to earn $7.915MM as he enters his fifth-year option year. As one of the league’s most talented wide receivers, he’d be in line for a massive payday if he were ever allowed to reach the open market. The Texans still have the franchise tag at their disposal to keep him through 2018 (or even ’19 with a second tag), but they could have a much happier Hopkins if they can agree to a long-term pact.
Last year, Hopkins had only 78 catches for 954 yards and four touchdowns, but that dip in production can be traced directly to the team’s quarterback woes. In the year prior, he had a career-high 111 receptions for 1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns on his way to his first Pro Bowl selection.
Currently, A.J. Green leads all wide receivers with a $15MM/year average annual value on his deal. In terms of guaranteed money per year, however, the list is led by Julio Jones ($7.1MM) and Demaryius Thomas ($7MM). Hopkins’ reps will have all of these numbers in mind as they discuss a new deal, particularly given the expected salary cap increases over time.
Bouye went from an unknown to an elite cornerback in a flash. He was nothing but stellar this year but without any real history before that, he’ll make for a very interesting contractual case. It sounds like the Texans will work to lock up the former UDFA before the start of free agency, but his reps may be eyeing a bigger deal than what Houston will offer during the exclusive period. On the most recent edition of PFR’s Free Agent Power Rankings, Bouye was ranked seventh.
It’s hard to come up with a comp for Bouye since he is such a unique case, but I expect him to best teammate Kareem Jackson‘s four-year, $34MM deal ($20MM in total guarantees) signed in 2015. At the time, Jackson only had two truly strong seasons under his belt (2012 and 2014) with three so-so campaigns. Jackson’s first-round pedigree probably helped matters, but Bouye is more than a full year younger than Jackson at the time of his negotiations.
NFC Notes: Cardinals, Palmer, Lions, C. Long
A quick look around the NFC:
- Despite reports to the contrary, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears Carson Palmer‘s house is not for sale. Furthermore, his family has left town during the offseason before, so perhaps we shouldn’t read too much into the news. It’s still not clear if the three-time Pro Bowler will return for what would be his age-37 season with the Cardinals.
- If the Patriots didn’t reach out to Chris Long, he could have wound up with the Lions instead, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. “Coach [Jim] Caldwell was awesome throughout that whole free agency process,” Long said. “They showed me a lot of respect that I didn’t necessarily deserve, in my eyes, because the last few years were so tough for me. But Coach Caldwell thought I could get back to who I was, and I’ll always respect him for that.” This year, he had four sacks and 32 tackles while playing in all 16 games for the Pats.
- Redskins long snapper Nick Sundberg‘s new four-year deal is worth $4.4MM, Master Tesfatsion of The Washington Post tweets. As part of the deal, he’ll earn a $610K signing bonus with a $900K base in 2017.
Roger Goodell On Ezekiel Elliott, Josh Brown
In Houston on Wednesday afternoon, Roger Goodell fielded questions from reporters on a wide range of topics. Here’s a look at the highlights:
- Goodell said there’s no timetable on the league’s investigation into domestic violence allegations against Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY). About two weeks ago, Elliott indicated that he is unhappy with the pace of the NFL’s investigation. The league has been investigating Elliott since July, and it reportedly regarded him as “Public Enemy No. 1” as of November.
- The NFL is still reviewing the possibility of putting together a developmental league, Goodell said (Twitter link via CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora). review/study. “We have a debate that goes on,” he said. “It’s something we’re actively considering.” Troy Vincent, the NFL’s head of football operations, has been pushing the idea of a D-League or in-season academy to help groom young talent. Meanwhile, there will be a non-NFL affiliated spring league launching this year.
- Goodell says Josh Brown‘s domestic violence investigation remains open (Twitter link via La Canfora). Regardless of the outcome, it’s hard to see the former Giants kicker getting another chance in the NFL. If Greg Hardy and Ray Rice can’t get work, then I can’t imagine a team weathering a PR nightmare for a kicker.
- Goodell indicated that the league is ready to start discussing an extension to the collective bargaining agreement (Twitter link via Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports). The current CBA goes through the 2020 season.
Malik Hooker Won’t Participate In Combine
Ohio State safety Malik Hooker had two surgeries this week and as a result he will not be able to work out at the scouting combine, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report tweets. Hooker had operations on a torn labrum plus a hernia injury that he played through late in the season. 
Hooker is widely projected as a top ten pick but it is fair to wonder if missing the combine could put his stock in flux. The Chargers are in need of a safety and the OSU product would make a lot of sense at No. 7, but if they don’t get to fully evaluate him they could shift their focus elsewhere to someone like LSU’s Jamal Adams.
Hooker started only one year in college but scouts have been salivating about his potential at the next level. As a redshirt sophomore, he had seven interceptions and returned three of those picks for touchdowns.
This week we learned that Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis could also miss the combine due to injury.
Raiders Move To Las Vegas “All But Dead”?
First casino magnate Sheldon Adelson dropped out of the Raiders’ Las Vegas stadium plan, then investment firm Goldman Sachs bailed. Now, the proposed move to Vegas is “all but dead,” Daniel Kaplan of Sports Business Journal (on Twitter) hears. 
This week’s events took both the Raiders and the NFL by surprise. Despite some public bickering, the Raiders were hoping that they could take their deal with Adelson to the finish line. But, if that failed, they were under the impression that Goldman Sachs would help finance the stadium instead and that’s what they told the league just a couple of weeks ago. Now, it seems that the two parties are a package deal. Adelson and the firm have a long business history together and it appears that they will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Sands billionaire.
If the Vegas move is truly dead, this could theoretically help the team stay in Oakland. So far, owner Mark Davis hasn’t been keen on the proposal put forth by Ronnie Lott’s group, but he might not have a ton of options at this juncture. The Lott deal would call for Oakland to contribute 130 acres of land and absorb all related taxes. Meanwhile, the NFL would chip in $300MM with $300-$400MM from Lott’s Fortress Group. The Fortress Group could be looking for a piece of the team as a part of the transaction, but Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports hears there could be other ways to make it all work.
Meanwhile, in Houston on Wednesday, Goodell told reporters that the league still “hasn’t made a determination yet about Las Vegas as an NFL market.” The league, he adds, continues to review the Raiders’ application.
AFC South Notes: Texans, Bouye, Colts
Here’s a look at the AFC South:
- In a rundown of the top ten players “likely to hit free agency,” Pro Football Focus’ Sam Monson ranked Texans corner A.J. Bouye No. 6. Looking only at players that are expected to hit the open market, Monson’s list excludes the likes of Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, Chiefs safety Eric Berry, Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short, and Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins. Interestingly, higher-mileage players like Jason Pierre-Paul and DeSean Jackson rank ahead of the young corner as well as Cowboys guard Ronald Leary. The latest edition of PFR’s Free Agent Power Rankings – which included Cousins and the others listed – ranked Bouye at No. 7.
- Is Stanford’s Solomon Thomas a fit for the Colts? In his latest mailbag, Kevin Bowen of Colts.com says that he is intriguing after a strong season, but it remains to be seen whether teams view him as a good 3-4 edge fit. Right now, Thomas is widely projected to fall between Nos. 7-to-15 in the first round. The Colts own the No. 14 overall pick.
- What’s first on the agenda of new Colts GM Chris Ballard? Bowen notes that exploring new deals for free agents like Mike Adams, Darius Butler, Jack Doyle, Robert Turbin, and Erik Walden will be at the top of his list. Allen is wrapping up a team-friendly two-year, $4.3MM contract and after grading out as a top-20 safety according to Pro Football Focus, he’s in line for a significant pay bump.
AFC East Notes: Patriots, Jets, Kaepernick
Patriots cornerback Eric Rowe says he still doesn’t know why the Eagles traded him, Matt Lombardo of NJ.com writes.
“I don’t know what happened,” Rowe said. “Obviously you want to get better at your position. I didn’t think I did that bad of a job to slide down the depth chart. I wasn’t getting get beat deep. I was getting a lot of pass breakups on deep balls and I know I probably needed to start pulling some of them down for interceptions but I don’t think that was the reason. I don’t want to say I took it personally or as a personal shot. This is a business at the end of the day. I felt like when I got traded that it was just another opportunity to keep getting better. Just to stay in the NFL is tough. Just to get another shot is a blessing.”
Rowe’s 26 tackles and one interception on the year aren’t that impressive, but he has been a major contributor as of late and he looks like he’ll be worth the conditional 2018 fourth-round draft choice for New England.
Here’s more out of the AFC East:
- In his latest mailbag, one reader asks Darryl Slater of NJ.com whether the Jets should take advantage of the draft’s strong defensive back crop and find a left tackle in free agency instead. Slater agrees with the assessment, noting that the Jets could select Ryan Ramczyk at No. 6, a player who is viewed as a safer choice than Cam Robinson. Meanwhile, the Jets could go for someone like Andrew Whitworth or Matt Kalil on the open market. Whitworth, 35, has more mileage between the two but the 27-year-old Kalil played in just two games last year thanks to injury.
- More from Slater, who wonders if new offensive coordinator John Morton will push the Jets to acquire quarterback Colin Kaepernick from the 49ers. Morton was with SF from 2011-2014 and was in the building while Kaepernick shined from 2012-2014. After that point, of course, No. 7 fell off and he hasn’t looked the same ever since. If the 49ers cut or trade Kaepernick, they’d save $16.9MM in cap space.
- Patriots assistant head coach/offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia says he plans to coach at least through next season. “That’s the plan,” he told reporters this week (including Bleacher Report’s Doug Farrar on Twitter). Scarnecchia turns 69 in mid-February.
PFR’s 2017 Free Agent Power Rankings 2.0
For 30 of the NFL’s 32 teams, the offseason is already underway. Here is the latest installment of our 2017 NFL Free Agent Power Rankings, which is comprised only of upcoming unrestricted free agents, and is ranked by projected guaranteed money. In parentheses next to each player, you’ll find their position in the early January edition of the rankings. For more, check out our master list of all 2017 free agents.
1. Kirk Cousins, QB (1): Cousins may not be the best player on this list, but he will come away with the most guaranteed money of any free agent this offseason. Quarterbacks are perpetually in high demand and short supply and as a result Cousins could become one of the league’s three highest paid signal callers. Because Washington has already used the franchise tag on Cousins, a repeat would cost them a whopping $23.94MM for 2017. The belief is that Cousins is seeking that $23.94MM number as an AAV goal. There has been talk of the Redskins shopping their star QB, but the team has since publicly stated its intention of locking him up to a long-term deal. 
2. Chandler Jones, LB/DE (2): Jones has been an absolute stud ever since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2012. If we go by the numbers at Pro Football Focus, 2016 was actually Jones’ best year to date. This past season, he finished out with a strong 87.4 overall score, tying him for seventh amongst all edge rushers with Houston’s Whitney Mercilus. In the previous four seasons with New England, Jones averaged a 79.38 on PFF. Every team could use a sack machine like Jones, but coach Bruce Arians says the Cardinals will place the franchise tag on him if they cannot agree on a long-term deal. He’s technically ticketed for unrestricted free agency, but it doesn’t sound like Jones is going anywhere.
3. Kawann Short, DT (3): Unlike former teammate Josh Norman, Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short says he won’t have any problem signing the franchise tender if the team tags him. “I wouldn’t fight it or anything,” said Short in early January. In 2016, he turned in his fourth straight 16-game season and ranked as Pro Football Focus’ fourth-best interior defender. Short, 28 this week, also had six sacks on the year. I think the Panthers would be wise to hit Short with the ~$13.468MM franchise tag or sign him to a long-term deal, but there is at least a non-trivial chance of him reaching the open market.
Rex Ryan Remains Interested In Coaching
When Rex Ryan was hired as the coach of the Bills, he said that Buffalo would be his final stop as a head coach. Two years later, he’s out of a job, but he’s not necessarily ruling out a return to a head coaching gig if he gets the right opportunity, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes. 
“The one thing about (being on TV) is that you don’t lose,” Ryan said. “You’ll remember every damn loss. But the wins? You don’t necessarily remember. So, it takes a lot out of you. I’m tired of getting f—ked. Unless it’s a real situation, there’s no sense of getting into it again.”
After being discarded by Buffalo, Ryan appears to be a better defensive coordinator candidate than a head coaching possibility. Despite that, Ryan says he is not interested “at all” in a DC job “at this time.”
Interestingly, Ryan says that he would not close the door on someday returning to the Jets in some capacity. Coach Todd Bowles has been retained for a third season, but as Mehta notes, there’s no telling what Woody Johnson could do in 2017 if things do not go according to plan.
In the meantime, Ryan says he’ll do some television work. His next assignment will have him serving as a panelist on ESPN for Super Bowl weekend.
49ers To Hire Adam Peters As VP Of Player Personnel
New 49ers GM John Lynch was said to be eyeing Adam Peters as his top assistant. Today, he got his man. Peters, who spent the previous eight seasons in the Broncos’ scouting department, agreed to sign on as the 49ers’ vice president of player personnel, a source told CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Maiocco.
Peters just completed his first season as the Broncos’ director of college scouting and he has previous experience as a regional scout, national scout, and assistant director of college scouting. Before joining Denver, Peters served as a scout for the Patriots. Peters comes with a strong track record as well as personnel experience, both of which Lynch lacks.
The Niners were also looking at former Bucs GM Mark Dominik as an option, but that’s likely not happening now that Peters has been hired. Assistant GM Tom Gamble, meanwhile, appears to be staying with the team.