No Deal In Sight For Steelers, Le’Veon Bell
There’s no deal in sight right now for the Steelers and Le’Veon Bell, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Both sides remain motivated to get an extension done, but it could “go either way,” in Schefter’s estimation. 
[RELATED: Latest On Redskins, Kirk Cousins]
It’s expected that there will be a push around the time of the July 17 deadline, Schefter writes. That’s typically the case when it comes to extensions for franchised players. Often times, talks will stall but the deadline will spur action.
Despite the off-the-field headaches from Bell, the running back has been a major part of the Steelers’ success in recent years. In 2016, Bell missed three games due to suspension, but he was as lethal as ever when he was on the field. Bell ran for 1,268 yards off of 261 carries, matching a career-high of 4.9 yards per attempt. He was also used frequently in the receiving game as he caught 75 passes for 616 yards. When averaged out on a per-game basis, his 2016 numbers actually bested his 2014 effort, a season which garnered him a First-Team All-Pro selection.
If Bell and the Steelers cannot work out a long-term deal, he will play out the 2017 season on a one-year, $12.12MM deal. Running backs don’t command as much money on the open market as, say, quarterbacks, but Bell could still do well for himself as a free agent next spring. When free agency opens in 2018, he’ll be just one month past his 26th birthday.
Latest On Redskins, Kirk Cousins
A long-term deal for Kirk Cousins and the Redskins is still viewed as a long shot, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. There has been an “improved tone” between the two sides, Schefter writes, but there apparently hasn’t been much progress. 
[RELATED: Brian Quick Must Impress In Camp To Make Redskins]
It would cost the Redskins more than $34MM to use the franchise tag on Cousins for a third time in 2018, so there’s definitely incentive for them to get a long-term deal done. At the same time, Cousins is very comfortable with betting on himself, so he is not sweating things out. It is believed that the quarterback will push for $50-60MM in guaranteed money to get an extension done, a sum that roughly represents the money he would earn through franchise tags in 2017 and 2018. Even the less costly transition tag in 2018 ($28MM) would still give Cousins a projected $52MM over the next two years, so that $50-60MM ask makes plenty of sense.
Recently, the NFL pushed back the deadline for teams to sign franchise players to long term deals, so the to sides will have until July 17 to hammer out a new pact. Typically, the franchise deadline is on July 15, but the NFL bumped up the date since it falls on a Saturday this year.
Chiefs GM Search Tracker
The Chiefs surprised everyone last week by firing GM John Dorsey. The timing of the move was puzzling, to say the least, since Dorsey already called the shots during the important stages of free agency and the draft.
Coach Andy Reid, who finalized a multi-year extension just minutes before the Dorsey news was announced, may or may not have played a role in the team’s GM change. And although the team press release indicated that the parting of ways was mutual, the call was actually made unilaterally by owner Clark Hunt. Hunt apparently grew tired of Dorsey’s easy-going demeanor and lack of internal communication, particularly since that did not jibe with the way Reid conducts himself.
The Chiefs will be looking at both internal and external candidates to fill the vacancy. Here’s an up-to-date list of the names involved in the search:
- Brett Veach, Co-director of player personnel (Chiefs): Hired
- Mike Borgonzi, Co-director of player personnel (Chiefs): Expected to be interviewed
- Ryan Cowden, Director of Player Personnel (Titans): Interview requested
- Scott Fitterer, Co-director of player personnel (Seahawks): Interview requested
- George Paton, Assistant GM (Vikings): Turned down interview
- Louis Riddick, TV analyst: Denies report saying he’s been contacted by Chiefs, says he is not interested in job
Vikings’ Michael Floyd Gets One Day In Jail
Vikings wide receiver Michael Floyd was sentenced to one day in jail for his positive alcohol tests during probation (Twitter link via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com). Floyd’s one-day sentence will begin tonight in Arizona, after which he’ll complete his five remaining days of house arrest (presumably also in Arizona), per Weinfuss.
Arizona prosecutors were gunning for Floyd to serve significant jail time, so today’s news is a big win for the player as well as the Vikings. Floyd, as you probably know by now, argued that his positive tests were the result of drinking kombucha tea. For what it’s worth, the Vikings supported Floyd’s excuse and didn’t use his probation violation as an opportunity to bail on the contract.
The Vikings have Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, Jarius Wright, and Laquon Treadwell as their top receivers, but Floyd is hoping to make the cut as the WR5 on Minnesota’s depth chart. The one-time Arizona WR2 faces competition from Isaac Fruechte and late draft picks Rodney Adams and Stacy Coley for a roster spot.
Saints’ Nick Fairley Won’t Play In 2017
Nick Fairley‘s season has ended before it could even start. The Saints announced that the defensive tackle has been placed on the non-football injury list for the season due to his heart condition. He has been ruled out for 2017 and, unfortunately, he might not be able to play football again, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. 
Fairley, 29, consulted with at least three doctors before reaching the conclusion that he could not play this year. He signed a four-year, $28MM deal to stay in New Orleans in March, but the Saints will now have to figure out a different plan at nose tackle. The team reportedly plans to use Tyeler Davison, a 2015 fifth-rounder, in the middle, though he is currently recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Last year’s fourth-round pick David Onyemata could be called upon if Davison suffers a setback.
Beyond Davison and Onyemata, it stands to reason that the Saints could explore external options. PFR’s Dallas Robinson recently ran down some of the best available interior defensive linemen, but not all of those names are fits for the Saints’ 4-3 scheme.
Fairley started 16 games and posted 6.5 sacks during his first season with the Saints, grading out as the league’s 34th best interior defender among 127 qualifiers, according to Pro Football Focus. Per the terms of his deal, Fairley has already cashed in on $9MM in guarantees, including an $8MM signing bonus.
Drug Charges Against Matt Elam Dropped
Former Ravens safety Matt Elam has been cleared of drug charges stemming from his February arrest, according to ESPN.com. After also recently being cleared of theft and battery charges, Elam is now free of all the criminal charges that were hanging over him this offseason. 
[RELATED: Theft, Battery Charges Against Elam Also Dropped]
Police said that Elam had 126 grams of marijuana and three grams of oxycodone in his possession when he was arrested in Miami this winter. He was charged for possessing upwards of 20 grams of cannabis, possession of cannabis with the intent to sell/deliver, and possession of a controlled substance. Now, he’s off the hook for each of those.
Legally speaking, Elam is in the clear, but NFL teams will be thinking long and hard before getting into business with the safety. Even before the two arrests, the former first round pick didn’t do much for the Ravens. Elam struggled in his first two NFL campaigns and he missed the entire 2015 campaign thanks to a biceps tear in training camp. After losing much of last year to a knee injury, Elam didn’t do much in his nine games on the field.
It also seems likely that Elam will face discipline for the league office for his missteps.
Prosecutors Want Jail Time For Michael Floyd
Michael Floyd says that kombucha tea is to blame for his positive alcohol tests during house arrest, but that excuse doesn’t fly with Arizona prosecutors. In Scottsdale, prosecutors say they will ask a judge to hit the Vikings wide receiver with jail time for violating the terms of his probation. 
[RELATED: Vikings Support Michael Floyd’s Claim]
“It appears he’s in violation and he should be ordered to serve the rest of his jail time,” city prosecutor Caron Close told Brian Murphy of the Pioneer Press on Monday. “The deal he made really gave him special considerations by letting him transfer out of state to continue his career.”
Floyd served 24 days of a 120-day jail sentence after his February conviction for a DUI. He was allowed to serve out the remainder of the sentence from home, but prosecutors say they are miffed after Floyd violated the terms of his arrangement. The Vikings are supporting Floyd and backing up the fermented tea story, but it remains to be seen whether CEO Kevin Warren‘s letter to the judge will help Floyd’s case.
Floyd‘s one-year deal with the Vikings doesn’t contain any guaranteed money, so the Vikings won’t be on the hook for any portion of the deal if they want to bail. So far, however, they’re standing beside him.
Chiefs Request Interviews With Two Execs
The Chiefs have requested permission to speak with Titans Director of Player Personnel Ryan Cowden and Seahawks co-director of player personnel Scott Fitterer for their GM job, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). If permission is granted, then the executives will become the first outside candidates to interview for the vacancy.
On Monday morning, we learned that Vikings executive George Paton declined the opportunity to be considered for the Chiefs job. In theory, that means that Cowden and Fitterer will have a little less competition for the position, provided that they are actually looking to take the job.
Fitterer has been in the mix for multiple GM jobs, including the Colts and 49ers earlier this year. He was also being considered for a top job with the Eagles before removing himself from consideration. The Seahawks have enjoyed great success in recent years, particularly when it comes to building through the draft and discovering talented undrafted free agents. While John Schneider oversees the operation, Fitterer and Trent Kirchner have been instrumental in building the roster.
After 16 years with the Panthers, Cowden was hired by the Titans in 2016 to oversee all areas of the scouting department, including collegiate scouting, NFL scouting, advance scouting, and international scouting for the draft, free agency, and upcoming opponents. Titans GM Jon Robinson offered glowing praise of Cowden at the time of the hire.
“When I was first hired by the Patriots, Ryan was promoted by Carolina to handle the Southeast and we cut our teeth together in that region scouting,” Robinson said. “We were both learning the ropes, going to many of the same places and had a lot of interaction through the years on the road. He has a strong eye for talent, he has developed good managerial skills over the years and in the team-building process it will be nice to get his take, as they have put together very good teams there in Carolina over the years.”
Details On Chiefs’ Firing Of John Dorsey
There have been some apparent issues with the Chiefs’ front office in recent years, including the team’s salary cap woes. However, it sounds like suspect cap management was not the main impetus for the Chiefs firing former GM John Dorsey, based on what Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star writes. 
[RELATED: Chiefs To Interview In-House Candidate This Week]
Owner Clark Hunt’s decision to can Dorsey was fueled, in part, by concerns about his lack of internal communication and management style, Paylor hears from multiple sources with knowledge of the situation. While observers believed that Dorsey and coach Andy Reid were working harmoniously together, the two men also had different approaches to their jobs and that apparently led to some friction. Reid is known for being process-oriented and regimented while Dorsey has a more casual demeanor.
“He’s not a big disciplinarian or big on chain of command,” one source said, “so people did what they wanted.”
For example, Dorsey made the sole decision to fire director of football administration Trip MacCracken and director of pro scouting Will Lewis. Both men were with the team for at least four years and, apparently, others in the building were not clear on why they were canned.
Paylor’s report gives us some insight as to why Dorsey was fired, but it does little to explain the timing of it all. Had the Chiefs made this decision in January, they could have promoted Chris Ballard to the top job before allowing him to accept the Colts’ offer. Instead, they allowed Dorsey to oversee the most important parts of the offseason and fired him at a time when all of the best outside candidates are already spoken for.
Chiefs To Interview Brett Veach This Week
Chiefs owner Clark Hunt is expected to interview co-director of player personnel Brett Veach this week, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Veach has been identified as an early frontrunner for the job.
[RELATED: Vikings’ George Paton Turns Down Chiefs Interview]
Last week, Rapoport reported that Veach is the name to watch in the team’s GM search. Veach goes way back with Andy Reid, having served as his assistant with the Eagles. The exec has also gotten lots of face time with Hunt in recent years and has been highly regarded by the organization. Veach has come up as a GM candidate before, having been linked to the Bills’ vacancy earlier this year.
Veach’s fellow co-director of playr personnel, Mike Borgonzi, has also been mentioned as a leading in-house candidate. There’s no word yet on when or if he will get an interview, but logic dictates that he will also be interviewed by Hunt & Co. in the coming days.