No CBA Talks Yet Between NFL, Union
The NFL and the NFLPA are more than halfway through the latest rendition of the collective bargaining agreement which was signed in 2013. It’s probably still early to sweat things, but union president Eric Winston tells PFT that there have been no talks yet between the two sides on an extension of the deal.
“We’re still trying to figure out how and when that’s going to happen,” Winston said.
So far, Winston says the two sides are “talking about talks” with “nothing substantive,” and that verbiage may indicate some frustration on the part of the NFLPA. Part of the holdup can be explained by the open-ended future of the league’s broadcasting agreements. The NFL’s current TV deals go through the 2022 season, after the CBA expires in 2021. Neither side knows how much money will be coming in on the next deal, making it hard to come to an agreement beforehand.
Recently, NFLPA spokesman George Atallah indicated that the union will talk directly to the TV networks about things may change for the 2023 season and beyond. That conversation could give the union some much-needed insight on what’s ahead and may even help to spur talks.
NFC North Notes: Bears, Glennon, Lions
The Bears poured lots of resources into the quarterback position this offseason, but ESPN.com’s Jeff Dickerson wonders if they are actually better as a result. Free agent addition Mike Glennon will earn $16MM guaranteed in 2017 and the Bears moved up from the No. 3 pick to the No. 2 pick for Mitch Trubisky, but neither player is a slam dunk to succeed. There were other changes in Chicago this offseason, but Dickerson writes that GM Ryan Pace‘s moves to solidify the quarterback position will dictate how everything is viewed five years from now. It’s hard to argue with that take – if Glennon and Trubisky don’t work out, then the Bears will be set back even further in their effort to rebuild.
Here’s a look at the NFC North:
- The Lions continue to show faith in their wide receiving corps by passing on big names like Jeremy Maclin and Eric Decker, MLive.com’s Nate Atkins writes. Last year, Marvin Jones and Golden Tate both topped 900 yards, but neither player had more than four touchdowns. One could argue that Maclin and Decker would have been big upgrades in the red zone, but the Lions didn’t feel the need to chase hard after either veteran. The team’s call to stay pat is also a sign that they expect big things from third round selection Kenny Golladay. Golladay officially signed his rookie deal on Monday morning.
- Packers standout Davante Adams could be positioning himself to become one of the NFL’s highest-paid wide receivers, Rob Reischel of the Journal Sentinel writes. In 2016 season, Adams tied for second in the league with 12 touchdown receptions and also caught 75 passes for nearly 1,000 receiving yards. Now, Adams, 25 in December, is entering his contract year. With another strong season, he could position himself as a top available WR along with DeAndre Hopkins, Alshon Jeffery, Sammy Watkins, and Allen Robinson.
- Over the weekend, the agent for Vikings wide receiver Michael Floyd addressed the recent rumors about his client.
Lions Wrap Up Draft Class
The Lions have signed third-round wide receiver Kenny Golladay, according to a team announcement. With Golladay signed, the Lions now have all of their draft picks officially under contract.
Golladay, who was taken with the No. 96 overall pick, will be competing with Jared Abbrederis, Jace Billingsley, and T.J. Jones for the No. 3 WR position. With defenses keying in on Golden Tate and Marvin Jones, there could be lots of opportunities for Golladay in the next spot.
At 6’4″, the Northern Illinois product should have the length to win jumpballs against most of his defenders. He has been knocked by some evaluators for his route running, but scouts fell in love with him for his height and speed leading up to the draft.
Here’s the complete rundown of the Lions’ 2017 class:
- 1-21: Jarrad Davis, LB (Florida)
- 2-53: Teez Tabor, CB (Florida)
- 3-96: Kenny Golladay, WR (Northern Illinois)
- 4-124: Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB, Tennessee
- 4-127: Michael Roberts, TE (Toledo)
- 5-165: Jamal Agnew, DB (San Diego)
- 6-205: Jeremiah Ledbetter, DT (Arkansas)
- 6-215: Brad Kaaya, QB (Miami)
- 7-250: Pat O’Connor, DE (Eastern Michigan)
Fred Jackson To Participate In July Showcase
Fred Jackson is still looking for an NFL job and he’s hoping that a mass audition next month will help make that happen. Today, the Spring League announced that it will host a special showcase game in California on July 15 featuring the former Bills running back (via PFT). 
In addition to Jackson’s debut, controversial defensive end Greg Hardy will also be making his return to the upstart league. Anthony “Boobie” Dixon, who was in Buffalo with Jackson in 2014 and 2015, will also be on hand at Napa Memorial Stadium in Napa, California. The game will be contested between the “Spring League California” and “Spring League East” teams. Terry Shea will coach the California team while Donnie Henderson will coach the East squad.
“The Spring League Showcase will provide the NFL with additional opportunities to evaluate players just before the start of training camps,” Spring League CEO Brian Woods said in the press release.
Jackson spent the 2015 season with the Seahawks and had just 26 carries for 100 yards and 32 receptions for 257 yards and two touchdowns. Last year, he was out of football. Still, at the age of 36, Jackson is out to prove that he can perform at a high level. Jackson’s last quality season as a runner was arguably back in 2013 when he ran for 890 yards off of 206 carries (4.3 yards per carry average) with nine scores. In 2014, he had a career-high 66 catches for 501 yards but didn’t fare as well carrying the ball.
Between 2011 and 2013, Hardy averaged 56 tackles and 10 sacks per season season. Even in a down year with Dallas in 2015, he ranked as the league’s 28th-best edge defender out of 110 qualified players, according to Pro Football Focus. However, NFL teams have stayed away from Hardy due to all of his baggage.
Bears DL Akiem Hicks Seeking New Agent
On the verge of an important year, Akiem Hicks is looking to make a change in representation. The Bears defensive lineman has parted ways with agent Frank Murtha and is currently in the process of interviewing new potential agents, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes. 
“I am a free agent that is almost a free agent,” said Hicks, who is entering a contract year. “You get it?”
Hicks joined the Bears on a two-year, $10MM free agent deal after spending time with the Saints and Patriots in 2015. He’s set to earn $5MM this season and is hoping to land another lucrative deal for 2018 and beyond.
In his last go-round through free agency, Hicks chose a shorter deal with Chicago over a longer pact offered by the Patriots. His gamble has paid off and he is now eager to cash in.
“I know it’s not always the best way to think of it with this being a business, but I want to get what I deserve or get what I have earned,” he said, while adding that he would like to stay in Chicago. “If I earned a new contract, that’s what I earned. If I don’t, that’s the case. It’s really not up to me. I get to put my stuff on the field and show them what I can do, but I can’t make them go upstairs and sign me to a different piece of paper.”
Hicks had a career-high 71 total tackles last season plus five tackles for a loss and seven sacks. He also played in a career-high 931 snaps, proving his durability. At a time when top defensive lineman are getting big dollars, the 27-year-old (28 in November) could be looking at a monster deal in the spring.
NFC Rumors: Kaepernick, RG3, Eagles
Three NFL executives tell Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com that they see former 49ers signal caller Colin Kaepernick as the best backup quarterback option available. Of course, we have watched many other QBs come off of the board while Kaepernick remains unsigned.
“Kaep, [Shaun] Hill, Dan Orlovsky, Robert Griffin III,” said one AFC exec when asked to rank the best remaining options.
A fourth exec surveyed by Fowler opined that Griffin is actually the best QB left on the market. Meanwhile, one official in the group said he wouldn’t sign Griffin “under any circumstances.” It seems like teams agree more with the latter opinion as Griffin has drawn very little interest this offseason.
Here’s a look at the NFC:
- After flirting with free agent receiver Jeremy Maclin, the Eagles are unlikely to pursue fellow pass-catcher Eric Decker, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). Philadelphia, which was reportedly the runner-up in the Maclin sweepstakes, pursued the now-Raven because of their previous relationship with the wideout, per Garafolo. The Eagles don’t enjoy that sort of familiarity with Decker, and are comfortable with their current crop of wide receivers, which includes Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith, Jordan Matthews, and Nelson Agholor.
- There’s “nothing new” to report on contract talks between the Rams and Aaron Donald, L.A. GM Les Snead told reporters (including Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com). Snead’s comments are notable since a deal appeared to be imminent just three weeks ago. Donald skipped OTAs while his reps negotiated a deal with the team, but it will apparently take some time before the two sides can finalize a deal. Naturally, the Rams are still working hard to get something done. “Aaron Donald is a priority for us,” Snead said. “That’s about all I can say.”
- Former Lions receiver Anquan Boldin may be looking to play near his home in Florida in 2017. Meanwhile, the Lions are probably not interested in a reunion.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Lions, Glover Quin Discussing New Contract
The Lions and Glover Quin are in talks about a new contract, the free safety tells Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Quin first approached the Lions about a new deal last month and it appears that some progress has been made on that front. 
Quin is entering the final season of a five-year, $23.5MM contract he signed as a free agent in 2013. The 31-year-old says that he wants to finish his career in Detroit.
“I’ve played going on five years here, good majority of my career,” Quin said. “Some of my better years. My growth. So to kind of get to finish up here, obviously it’s not where I started but it was a team that accepted me, brought me in, allowed me to play the way I knew that I could always play, so to get an opportunity to finish here would be excellent.”
The Pro Bowler believes that he still has “three or four more high-level years” in him, adding that his increased football IQ has him feeling like he is right in his prime. Not everyone can play at a high level in their 30s, but Quin has managed to stay remarkably healthy throughout his career. He currently has the longest starting streak among NFL safeties at 116 consecutive games, the seventh longest streak overall.
Quin recorded 68 tackles and two interceptions last year. The advanced stats at Pro Football Focus placed him 23rd in performance among Pro Football Focus’ 90 qualified safeties.
Saints LT Terron Armstead Suffers Injury
Bad news for the Saints. Left tackle Terron Armstead has suffered a torn labrum and will require surgery, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The timetable to return is 4-6 months. 
The Saints can be expected to explore out-of-house options now that their starting left tackle will be out for at least the early portion of the season. Ryan Clady is perhaps the best free agent tackle left in free agency. Will Beatty and the versatile Austin Pasztor are also available.
Alternatively, the Saints could promote from within and move first round pick Ryan Ramczyk from the right side to the left. Zach Strief, who was supposed to be the main backup to Armstead and Ramczyk, could slide into the starting role at right tackle. However, in a year where the Saints are hoping to get back into the championship picture with Drew Brees and Adrian Peterson, it stands to reason that they will want some better protection on the O-Line.
Armstead, 27 in August, missed nine games due to injury in 2016. However, he still graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 21 tackle on the year. In 2015, Armstead played in 13 of 16 possible regular season games and earned one of the highest scores of any tackle in the NFL.
Vikings’ Michael Floyd Fails Alcohol Test
This could spell trouble for Michael Floyd. The Vikings wide receiver tested positive for alcohol during his house arrest this week, according to TMZ Sports. The violation of house arrest rules could result in jail time. 
Floyd’s alcohol monitoring system flagged five events during June 11th and 12th. At least three of those events were characterized by a rep for the Scottsdale City Court as “high alcohol tests.” Per the terms of his deal, Floyd was forbidden from drinking any alcohol while confined to his home. Meanwhile, the wide receiver claims that the positive tests were caused by drinking Kombucha, a fermented tea with a very low percentage of alcohol.
Floyd petitioned the court to remove his alcohol-testing ankle bracelet because he said it would hinder him while training. The court obliged, but required that Floyd instead undergo random breath tests. Those breath tests unearthed his alleged alcohol consumption and, on top of that, Floyd apparently skipped one of the scheduled tests.
In 2016, Floyd was cuffed in Arizona for a “super extreme DUI,” leading to his release from the Cardinals. The receiver was quickly claimed by the Patriots, but New England made little effort to retain him. Despite all the baggage surrounding him, the Vikings signed him in May.
Floyd‘s one-year deal with the Vikings doesn’t contain any guaranteed money, meaning that Minnesota can part ways with the troubled receiver without any financial penalty.
Anquan Boldin Looking To Play In Florida?
Anquan Boldin says that he wants to continue playing in 2017, but he won’t necessarily accept any gig that comes his way. The wide receiver would like to play near his home in Florida, people close to him tell Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. 
Unfortunately for Boldin, all three Florida teams seem pretty well set at wide receiver. The Dolphins have their big three of Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills, and DeVante Parker with 2016 third round pick Leonte Carroo and Jakeem Grant in support. The Bucs have Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, Adam Humphries, Chris Godwin, and Josh Huff with talented receivers like Freddie Martino and Donteea Dye on the fringe. In Jacksonville, standouts Allen Robinson, Marqise Lee, and Allen Hurns are joined by rookie Dede Westbrook and former Buc Arrelious Benn. That’s not to say that Boldin couldn’t crack the roster with those teams, but there is not a clear path to significant playing time.
Meanwhile, it doesn’t sound like the Lions are looking for a reunion. Even though Boldin all Lions WRs in touchdown catches (eight) and finished second in receptions (61) in 2016, coach Jim Caldwell says that he’s content with his current group.
“You never say never,” Caldwell said. “Obviously, he contributed quite a bit for us, just not certain at this point in time. I think we’re in good shape where we are right now. I think we have a really good core.”
Boldin, 37 in October, averaged a career-worst 8.7 yards per grab last year. Even though he still has solid route running skills and soft hands, he’s not quite as fleet-footed as he used to be.