Extra Points: Von, Ryans, D. Murray, Adams
Few in the NFL expect superstar linebacker Von Miller to sit out the season if he and the Broncos don’t resolve their contract dispute, writes Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post, but Kiszla believes doing so in protest of the franchise tag could revolutionize the NFL. If Miller eschews the $14MM tag, skips the 2016 campaign and signs elsewhere next offseason with a team willing to treat him like a full partner – as LeBron James is with the Cleveland Cavaliers, notes Kiszla – it could have a significant impact on the league, the writer opines. However, given Miller’s love for Denver, Kiszla expects the Super Bowl 50 MVP and the franchise to ultimately reach a long-term accord by the July 15 deadline.
Here’s more from around the league:
- DeMeco Ryans is hoping to play in 2016 but he also understands if that opportunity doesn’t come around. “Either way, I’m happy spending time with the family,” the former Texans and Eagles linebacker told Mark Inabinett of AL.com. “It’s just a blessing for me to be able to play 10 years in the NFL and have a great career. I have no regrets about it, so it’s great either way. If I could play again, that’ll be great. If not, that’s great as well.” Ryans, 31, spent the last four seasons with the Eagles after playing his first six in Houston. A two-time Pro Bowler with the Texans, Ryans had a pair of strong seasons with the Eagles before an Achilles injury and a reduced role slowed him down from 2014-15. Ryans recorded 49 tackles to go along with an interception, a forced fumble, and five passes defended last season.
- This is usually the time on the calendar in which players who had poor years during the previous NFL season predict better things during the approaching campaign, so it’s no surprise that DeMarco Murray is excited about 2016. Murray’s situation is unique, however, as he went from AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year two seasons ago in Dallas to a free agent bust with the Eagles in 2015. Having once again switched uniforms, this time going from the Eagles to the Titans in a trade, the 28-year-old sees himself as a better fit in Mike Mularkey’s offense than he was in Chip Kelly’s. “It’s strictly downhill and that’s what I’ve been accustomed to my entire life,” Murray told Jim Rome on Wednesday (link via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). “Nothing against last year or what happened, it just didn’t work out, but I’m very excited about this upcoming season and looking forward to it.”
- Former Oregon quarterback Vernon Adams is adjusting to life with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes and while it’s not what he envisioned for himself, he says that he is focusing on being at his best north of the border, ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert writes. “I can tell you I am not worried about the NFL,” Adams said, “and they’re not worried about me. I’m not even starting here. I want to get bigger and faster and play here. If the NFL comes calling in five or 10 years or whatever, then maybe I might consider it. But as of right now. I’m fine.”
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
AFC East Notes: Dolphins, Tannehill, Suh, Pats
New Dolphins head coach Adam Gase is giving Ryan Tannehill more freedom to change plays and making more of the playbook available to him at the line of scrimmage, backup Matt Moore tells Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
“Maybe it’s not the entire playbook but there’s a lot of things we can get to very quickly,” Moore said. “[Gase] really instills in your mind that if there’s something you don’t like, you can get into it or out of it at your will. We have a lot of answers to a lot of different looks. If Ryan sees something he likes, it’s very easy to get to it. That’s probably the biggest thing…The whole offense can be done at the line of scrimmage. It’s very simple to get from one thing to another. In other offenses, it’s small packages or a couple plays here or there. Everything is on the table at all times [now].”
Here’s more from the AFC East:
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap ran down the best and worst contracts on the Dolphins. The best deal on the team, he says, is the team’s deal with strong safety Reshad Jones. Miami inked Jones to a four-year, $28MM deal back in 2013 with $15MM guaranteed. It turned out to be a very team-friendly deal and, of course, Jones was holding out earlier this offseason in an effort to get out of it and draw up a new deal. Ultimately, however, Jones caved and returned to the team midway through the June minicamp. Fitzgerald’s only criticism of the deal isn’t really a criticism at all – he says Miami in hindsight should have made it a five-year pact rather than a four-year agreement.
- On the flipside, Fitzgerald says that Ndamukong Suh‘s six-year, $114.375MM deal with $59.95MM guaranteed is the deam’s worst deal. In fact, he believes that the deal could go down as one of the worst in NFL history when all is said and done. Even if Suh is the best veteran defensive tackle in the NFL, he’s still arguably the worst value in the league at this exorbitant rate, Fitzgerald argues.
- Brandon Marshall has a new four-year deal, worth $8MM in average annual value with the Broncos and Phil Perry of CSNNE.com wonders how that might impact the deals that Patriots linebackers Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins can expect in the near future. Perry notes that the advanced metrics have been very impressed with the work of both players. Collins graded out as the No. 5 linebacker in the league in 2015, according to Pro Football Focus, and was No. 6 in the year prior. Hightower, meanwhile, was ranked at No. 10 and No. 5, respectively, in those years. Since his rookie season in 2012, Hightower has never graded below No. 24, according to PFF.
- Bills owner Terry Pegula told WGR 550 that the NFL has asked him about his plans to build a new stadium. “Obviously, we’ll look into that,” he said (link via ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak). He added that he listens to other owners’ thoughts but, ultimately, he’ll make his “own judgment.”
NFC East Notes: Eagles, Cox, Giants, Redskins
In the 2012 draft, the Eagles had their eye on defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. The night prior to the draft, the Eagles agreed to a deal with the Seahawks that would move them from No. 15 to No. 12, provided that one of the players on their short wish list was still available. Cox fell to No. 12, the two teams made the trade, and the Eagles were ready to announce their pick. However, when the Eagles were on the clock, they received a tempting trade proposal which would have netted them a future first-round pick in exchange for moving back, as Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. The Eagles, of course, declined. 
“If he was [what the Eagles thought], how would we get that guy again?” Eagles exec Howie Roseman said. “And all around the room, everyone agreed that to get a 6-4, 310-pound guy, 35-inch arms, powerful, athletic, great character, we’d have to pick in the Top-5 — 21 years old. For us, even if that future one was a 12 or 13 or 14, we thought it was a unique opportunity that we were able to get that kind of guy, so we just kind of made the pick.”
In theory, the Eagles could have grabbed a player like Sheldon Richardson, Star Lotulelei, or Kenny Vaccaro in the following year, but there’s no way of knowing what they would have done in that scenario. In any event, the Eagles are thrilled with how things turned out and earlier this month they locked up their star defensive tackle on a massive deal through the 2022 season.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- If rookie Jerell Adams shows that he can adjust to the speed of the NFL, he will allow the Giants to carry only three full-time tight ends, James Kratch of NJ.com writes. However, if he looks to be more of a project player, the Giants may have to carry a fourth tight end. As Roster Resource shows, the Giants’ depth chart at TE is headlined by Larry Donnell and Will Tye with Adams, Matt LaCosse, and UDFA Ryan Malleck also on the 90-man.
- Many expected the Redskins to make a significant splash on the defensive line this offseason but that didn’t materialize as the team applied its resources elsewhere. Now, as the Redskins enter 2016 without vets Jason Hatcher and Terrance Knighton, the team is banking on consistency from its returning D-linemen, Master Tesfatsion of The Washington Post writes.
- Left tackle Takoby Cofield finds himself on the Redskins‘ roster bubble and Rich Tandler of CSNMidAtlantic.com writes that he could be ready to challenge for a spot on the active roster. Cofield joined the Redskins as a UDFA in 2015 and spent the year on the taxi squad.
- Cowboys free agent Greg Hardy may be trying to clean up his public persona by making changes to his social media.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Seven Rookies Remain Unsigned
Updated on June 25th, 2016 3:32pm CT
The overwhelming majority of the rookies in the 2016 draft class have officially signed. However, as we approach July, we still have a small group of stragglers. Seven rookies have yet to put pen to paper with their respective teams and that group includes three first-rounders: Joey Bosa (Chargers, No. 3), Darron Lee (Jets, No. 20) and Joshua Garnett (49ers, No. 28). 
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Bosa, of course, stands as the most high-profile player yet to sign his rookie pact and his negotiations are also the most public of the bunch. This week, agent Todd France and team president of football operations John Spanos both discussed the negotiations in radio interviews and it appears that the two sides aren’t even in agreement as to what the disagreement is all about. Spanos says the two sides are hung up on the idea of offset language. France, meanwhile, says there are other reasons behind the protracted talks, including cash flow.
The latest Collective Bargaining Agreement has made rookie contracts much simpler than they used to be. Every rookie from No. 1 through (roughly) No. 256 receives a four-year deal with varying salary amounts based on where they are selected. However, offset language is among the key clauses which may be discussed. If a player with offset language in his contract his released midway through the deal, the original team is only on the hook for the difference in salary between the two contracts. Without offset language, the player can effectively double dip and collect two paychecks. Naturally, there are many player agents who are disinclined to forfeit that potential earning power.
Of the seven players without signed deals, four of those players are third-round picks. That’s because contracts in the third round are, for some reason, far less regulated than the rest of the draft. While third round picks have slotted signing bonuses like everyone else, the base salaries can be brokered and that’s probably at least part of the holdup for these four rookies. However, one pattern to note is that first-rounders Bosa, Lee, Fuller, and Garnett are all represented by powerhouse agency CAA.
Here is the complete list of 2016 rookies who have yet to complete their contracts with signatures and initials:
Cleveland Browns
- 3-65: Carl Nassib, DE (Penn State)
Dallas Cowboys
- 3-67: Maliek Collins, DT (Nebraska)
New York Jets
- 1-20: Darron Lee, LB (Ohio State)
San Diego Chargers
San Francisco 49ers
- 1-28: Joshua Garnett, G (Stanford)
Tennessee Titans
- 3-64: Kevin Byard, DB (Middle Tennessee State)
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFL, NFLPA Adjust Practice Squad Rules
The NFL and the NFLPA have agreed to continue having 10-man practice squads for the 2016 and 2017 seasons, according to Mark Dominik of ESPN (on Twitter). One notable change has been made, however. Previously, teams were allowed to sign a maximum of two players who have up to two accrued seasons of NFL experience while the other eight players had to fall within a limited range of 53-man roster time. Now, teams can have up to four players with two accrued NFL seasons.
At the end of August, the claiming period for players waived during final roster cutdowns will conclude, and, at that point, teams are free to start signing players to their practice squads. While practice squad players aren’t eligible to play in regular season games, they practice with their team’s active players during the week, and receive a weekly salary. For the 2016 season, the minimum weekly salary for practice squad players is $6,900, though teams are permitted to offer more than that in an attempt to entice players to sign to their squad rather than join another club. In 2017, that number will jump to $7,200 per week.
Of course, practice squad players are under contract, but the fact that they’re not on an active roster means they’re free to sign with another NFL team if the opportunity arises. That new team must add the player to its 53-man active roster, however. The practice squad system allows teams to keep a group of players in reserve in the event of an injury and provides young players an opportunity to develop their skills and make an impression on team personnel. Thanks to this week’s win-win agreement between the league and the players’ union, the 10-man practice squad structure will remain in place for at least the next two years.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/21/16
Today’s minor moves from around the NFL…
- Bills safety Phillip Thomas reverted to injured reserve after being waived-injured and clearing waivers, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
- The Lions have waived offensive tackle Dominick Jackson, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes. Detroit signed Jackson on June 1 as a UDFA out of Alabama, but he wound up lasting less than a month with the team.
Jaguars Wrap Up Draft Class
The Jaguars have officially signed every player in their 2016 draft class. Today, the Jaguars announced that they have formally inked third-round defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. 
[RELATED: Jaguars Not Including Offset Language In Rookie Deals]
Prior to the draft, the Maryland linebacker was very popular on the workout scene and managed to boost his stock from a fourth- or fifth-round prospect to a third-round draft choice. While Ngakoue has a ways to go when it comes to defending against the run, he is regarded as a strong pass rusher and should serve as a solid rotational piece in 2016. As the Jaguars’ page on Roster Resource shows, Ngakoue figures to be a preferred backup behind Dante Fowler Jr. and Jared Odrick. The Jaguars also have Ryan Davis, Jonathan Woodard, Chris Smith, and Quanterus Smith on the DE depth chart.
The Jaguars’ top pick this year was Florida State defensive back Jalen Ramsey. Ramsey was highly coveted by rival teams heading into this year’s draft, but the Jaguars had a clear path to grab him once the Chargers selected Joey Bosa and the Cowboys plucked Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott. Unfortunately, Ramsey had to undergo surgery on his right knee, but he is expected to be back in time for training camp and should not miss any regular season time if all goes well.
Here’s the complete rundown of Jacksonville’s 2016 draft class:
- 1-5: Jalen Ramsey, DB (Florida State)
- 2-36: Myles Jack, LB (UCLA)
- 3-69: Yannick Ngakoue, DE/OLB (Maryland)
- 4-103: Sheldon Day, DT (Notre Dame)
- 6-181: Tyrone Holmes, DE (Montana)
- 6-201: Brandon Allen, QB (Arkansas)
- 7-226: Jonathan Woodard, DE (Central Arkansas)
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
West Notes: Broncos, Miller, Chiefs, Berry
Von Miller and Broncos have had “minimal communication in the last 10-12 days or so,” according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (via Facebook). As previously reported, the two sides still have a wide gap to bridge when it comes to guaranteed money and Von Miller is still exploring the idea of holding out if he does not get the deal that he is after. If Miller sits out and the Broncos tag him again next offseason, the compensation to sign him drops from two first-round picks to one first-round pick and one third-round pick. That’s still a hefty price to pay on top of the actual monster contract Miller will command, but there should be at least a few teams willing to go to that length.
Here’s more from the West divisions:
- More from Fowler, who writes that Chiefs star Eric Berry has his eyes set on becoming the league’s highest-paid safety and wants to capitalize while he still can. In order to get that mantle, Berry will have to beat out Harrison Smith‘s brand new five-year, $51.25MM deal with the Vikings. Typically, the Chiefs quietly do work behind the scenes and of all the franchise-tagged players, Fowler believes that Berry’s path to a long-term pact could be the smoothest.
- Does the addition of No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff make the Rams a title contender? Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com writes that Goff is a step in the right direction for Los Angeles, though there is nothing guaranteed with a rookie quarterback and it will likely take two or three years for the team to develop him into a reliable player. Ultimately, however, if Goff does pan out and Todd Gurley reaches his potential, the Rams could be a dangerous team.
- In case you missed it, Fowler’s latest report also included an update on Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery.
- Earlier today, we heard from both the Chargers and agent Todd France on the Joey Bosa contract situation.
Bears, Alshon Jeffery Still Talking Extension
Earlier this summer, it was reported that the Bears and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery were highly unlikely to hammer out a contract extension prior to the July 15th deadline. Apparently, things have changed in recent weeks. The two sides have reignited their dialogue about a long-term contract and a new deal is “certainly possible,” according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (Facebook link). 
[RELATED: Bears Sign TE Tony Moeaki]
As of this writing, Jeffery is slated to play out 2016 on the one-year franchise tag of $14.6MM. The two sides have roughly three weeks to get a multi-year deal done and Fowler hears that if an extension is agreed upon, it will be late in the process.
The Bears, understandably, have reservations about Jeffery’s long-term health after he missed seven games in 2015. However, the Bears also know that their offensive attack is much more potent with a healthy Jeffery in the lineup. In 2014, the Bears star was active for all 16 games and the team finished with the third-ranked red zone offense in the NFL. Last year, however, they dropped to No. 25 in the league as Jeffery was sidelined for much of the year.
After averaging 87 receptions and 1,277 yards in 2013 and 2014, Jeffery was plagued by injuries in 2015, but he was excellent when healthy, averaging a career-high 89.7 yards per game. Jeffery wants the security of a multi-year pact, but one could argue that he would be better off playing out the 2016 season under the franchise tag anyway. After missing time last year, Jeffery could boost his leverage by turning in that same kind of output across a full 16-game season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC East Notes: Eagles, Cox, Hardy, Cowboys
The Eagles still have salary cap flexibility after doling out $280MM in guarantees this year, Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com writes. This offseason, GM Howie Roseman handed major money out to in-house players like Fletcher Cox, Sam Bradford, Lane Johnson, and Zach Ertz while signing Brandon Brooks, Chase Daniel, Rodney McLeod, and Leodis McKelvin.
On the surface, the Eagles have an issue as they are $5.7MM over the projected salary cap for 2017. However, there is some wiggle room there if the team is willing to be on the hook for some dead money. Bradford’s salary-cap charge for 2017 is $22.5MM but the Eagles can release him before that season, saving $13MM and eating $9.5MM in dead money, leaving them $7.3MM under the projected 2017 salary cap. The Eagles could also cut left tackle Jason Peters, who will be 35 in 2017, to save another $9MM in cap space.
Here’s more out of the NFC East:
- The new six-year, $103MM contract extension for Cox shows that the Eagles both value Cox and the defensive tackle position, Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “It’s really hard when you look at building your team because when you have great offensive tackles, you can scheme against great defensive ends — I’m not telling you they are not equally as important; they are,” Roseman said. “But when you can get pressure up the middle and in a quarterback’s face, it’s hard. It’s hard for them. It makes them uncomfortable. I think this is something that we always believed in. There were very few guys that are this big and this athletic and have this kind of motor that are ever born, let alone play in the National Football League.”
- Cowboys free agent Greg Hardy is apparently trying to clean up his public image as he seeks NFL employment, Darin Gantt of PFT writes. Hardy’s Twitter avatar now shows him holding a baby and his profile picture shows him smiling with a group of schoolchildren. Of course, given Hardy’s immense baggage and his disastrous interview with ESPN earlier this year, his social media revamp might not be enough to turn public opinion. Late last month, we ran down a list of teams that could still consider Hardy despite the PR backlash and headaches that he would bring with him. Recently, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reflected on the team’s year with Hardy and even though he admitted that the signing didn’t work out as well as he had hoped, he also said that he will not shy away from similarly risky players in the future.
- Early this morning, it was reported that the Redskins will not seek to extend defensive lineman Chris Baker this summer.