North Notes: Steelers, Vikings, Bengals, Pack
A look at what’s happening in the NFL’s two North divisions:
- The Steelers’ defense isn’t going to be one whose linemen merely occupy opposing blockers. Instead, new coordinator Keith Butler is encouraging them to attack the football, writes Ray Frager of CSNBaltimore.com.“Coach Buts said early on, ‘I’m not going to hold you back. I want the linebackers to fend for themselves. I expect you guys to make plays for yourself,” lineman Cameron Heyward said. Heyward added that he’s excited about Butler’s philosophy. “I’m salivating. I can’t wait until the season starts.”
- The Packers have a breakout candidate in second-year wide receiver Davante Adams, who caught 38 passes during the regular season and added a seven-catch, 117-yard showing against Dallas in the playoffs. Head coach Mike McCarthy is excited about Adams’ output at minicamp. “Davante Adams, if you want a clear illustration and example of a first-year player taking a jump in his second year, you just saw it here the last four weeks,” McCarthy told the Associated Press. “Davante, if you wanted me to pick an MVP or an all-star (of the offseason), he would definitely be atop the list.”
- Browns defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil wants more from third-year linebacker Barkevious Mingo, writes Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. “He is going to have to compete for playing time on early downs. He’s going to have a role in our sub-packages,” said O’Neil, who did acknowledge that Mingo is the team’s best outside linebacker in coverage. Mingo’s role last year mainly focused on coverage, not rushing the passer, as he played through a torn labrum. Mingo has racked up just seven sacks since going sixth overall in the 2014 draft.
- Vikings safety Harrison Smith is under team control for just two more seasons, but he’s not thinking about a contract extension. “I’m really just focused on playing the best type of football I can. That stuff will work itself out,” Harrison said Thursday, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “I’m happy to be here and happy to be a part of the Vikings, but all I’m thinking about right now is playing well in 2015.” Whether it’s with the Vikings or someone else, Smith is primed to cash in big if his career stays on its current course. Smith totaled a career-best five interceptions in 2014, giving him 10 in three seasons, and earned a spot on Pro Football Focus’ All-Pro team.
- Two of Harrison’s fellow Vikings defenders, end Brian Robison and cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, expect to be ready for training camp in July after suffering offseason injuries, per the Pioneer Press’ Brian Murphy.
- Bengals wideout Marvin Jones impressed as an NFL sophomore in 2013, amassing 51 catches and 10 touchdowns, before missing all of last season with ankle and foot injuries. Healthy again, ESPN’s Coley Harvey writes that the 2012 second-round pick is returning to form. “You’re starting to see a play here, a play there of the old Marv, and the quickness, suddenness and explosiveness,” Bengals receivers coach James Urban said.
- The performance of backup quarterback A.J. McCarron in spring workouts greatly impressed the Bengals and helped convince them to release Terrelle Pryor on Thursday, writes Geoff Hobson of the team’s website. “If he can do what he did here live, that will be the next step,” said quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese. Head coach Marvin Lewis expressed similar sentiment regarding the 2014 fifth-round pick and three-time national champion from the University of Alabama. “I’m pleased with his ability to handle the huddle, to handle the team. These nine practices have been awesome for him,” Lewis said.
- Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco heaped praise on second-year receiver Jeremy Butler, who stood out at the team’s minicamp. “He was incredible. He caught the ball extremely well,” said Flacco, according to the Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson. “He’s just a big, strong body and catches the ball really well. It’s exactly what he showed last year in training camp, I thought, and he’s just coming out here and doing more of that.” Butler went undrafted out of Tennessee-Martin in 2014 and missed his entire rookie season because of a shoulder injury.
AFC North Notes: Bell, Steelers, Ravens
For the past two years, veteran defensive end Chris Canty has lined up with the Ravens‘ starting defense. He anticipates continuing that in 2015. “I’ve been a starter in this league for a decade, I don’t really see that changing,” Canty said, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. “That’s what I foresee. Things change. It’s a very fluid situation, but that’s what I have in mind for my role being on this football team on our defensive unit.” Canty, a 10-year veteran, signed a two-year deal worth $4.65MM with Baltimore back in March. Here’s more from the AFC North..
- The three-game suspension for Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell was announced more than two months ago, but Bell says his appeal has yet to be heard, and he’s not sure when it will be, tweets Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In most cases, an appeal hearing takes place within a few weeks of the appeal being filed, so I’m not sure why there’s such a delay for Bell’s case.
- Ravens guard Kelechi Osemele says that he feels good about his body of work as he enters his contract year, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes. The former second-round draft pick is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, when his four-year rookie deal expires. “I feel really good about what I’ve shown,” said Osemele. “Obviously, it helps to come in here and win a Super Bowl. That’s always a good thing, but, on top of that, I’ve had great teammates and a great coaching staff behind me.” Wilson hears that no deal is imminent for Osemele or teammate Marshal Yanda.
- After restructuring his deal earlier this offseason, cornerback Lardarius Webb is passionate about taking on a special teams role as the Ravens‘ primary punt returner, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes. However, it remains to be seen whether Baltimore will greenlight that given his injury history. Webb’s new deal takes him through 2017 but his base pay in 2016 and 2017 is non-guaranteed.
North Notes: Yanda, Bears, Ravens
Marshal Yanda told reporters, including Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter), that he’s not worried about working out a new contract with the Ravens.
“We’ll get it done when we get it done,” Yanda said.
The 30-year-old is entering the final season of his contract, a five-year, $32MM deal signed in 2011. Yanda’s +43.8 Pro Football Focus grade (subscription required) placed him atop the guard rankings in 2014 and was nearly double that of the next highest guard. Recently, PFR’s Dallas Robinson looked at Yanda and left guard Kelechi Osemele as extension candidates. Here’s more from the North divisions..
- Dan Pompei of WSCR-AM (on Twitter) says it’s pretty evident that Antrel Rolle is going to give the Bears something they have not had in a long time. The Bears signed the veteran safety to a three-year deal this offseason.
- Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta hasn’t been cleared yet by doctors and won’t participate in the team’s minicamp or training camp until he is, Zrebiec tweets.
- Ravens veteran Terrell Suggs told reporters, including Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter), that it is “weird” not having defensive tackle Haloti Ngata around. Ngata, of course, was traded to the Lions, who were in need of a replacement for Ndamukong Suh.
AFC Notes: Clemons, Ravens, Mathis
As expected, veteran pass rusher Chris Clemons reported to the Jaguars today, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Clemons hadn’t been present for Jacksonville’s voluntary OTAs this year, but would have forfeited his workout bonus if he hadn’t shown up this week. More from the AFC..
- The Ravens could use another pass rusher and wouldn’t hesitate to add another defensive back, but the team doesn’t have any significant holes right now, so any veteran signings still to come would be more of a luxury than a necessity, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
- Bill Williamson of ESPN.com wonders if the Raiders should pursue guard Evan Mathis. The Raiders do not have a set starter at right guard, they have nearly $17MM in cap room, and new offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave was on the Eagles’ staff last year. However, the Raiders are happy with their trio of right guards and Mathis’ age (33) could be a deterrent for them, in Williamson’s view. However, one offensive lineman to keep an eye for the Raiders could be tackle Sam Baker, who was cut by the Falcons on Monday.
- Landry Jones‘ future with the Steelers could hinge on how he performs in the preseason, Ralph N. Paulk of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes. The third-year quarterback has had a difficult time adjusting since he was taken in the fourth round out of Oklahoma. Quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner speculated that his spread offense background has been a hindrance to his development so far.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
AFC Notes: Ravens, Flacco, Thomas, Houston
The Ravens are dealing with the loss of an all-time great defensive tackle in Haloti Ngata, and have a number of options to try to replace him. They have penciled in Timmy Jernigan in his spot, and re-signed both Chris Canty and Lawrence Guy to keep depth along the defensive line.
Additionally, the team hopes to be able to count on getting contributions from two linemen with injury histories, with both Brent Urban and Kapron Lewis-Moore making their return to the field, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
“He has practiced really well, Brent has, and so has Kapron,” said head coach John Harbaugh. “They both look like they’re 100 percent as far as the way they’re moving around, and they look like they’re going to be able to contribute for us.”
Here are some other notes from around the AFC:
- Entering his age-30 season, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco doesn’t see his career as being in decline, writes Wilson. “I don’t feel any worse because of my age yet,” Flacco said. “I think you learn more. I’m not going to be 50 and playing. I hope I’m 40, but 50, no.“
- Demaryius Thomas has not signed his franchise tender with the Broncos, and has been absent from team facilities this offseason. They key to his deal will be who goes first between him, Dez Bryant, A.J. Green, and Julio Jones, writes Troy Renck of the Denver Post. The first one to sign a contract will in turn set the bar for the rest of the group. He is hoping to get a long-term deal with Calvin Johnson level money, but that is unlikely.
- The Chiefs have the pieces in place to have a very good pass rush in 2015, even without star Justin Houston who has not yet signed his franchise tender, writes Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. With Tamba Hali and 2014 first-round pick Dee Ford on the outside, and Dontari Poe and Allen Bailey inside, the team has other options in a worst-case scenario without Houston.
NFC Links: Kuhn, Cardinals, Saints, Rams
Most players with John Kuhn‘s resume (including three Pro Bowl selections) would scoff as the idea of competing against a rookie. However, the Packers fullback is embracing the organization’s youth, including the team’s selection of fullback Aaron Ripkowski in the sixth round of this past year’s draft.
“Excitement,” he told Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel. “We preach around here that competition breeds the best football players. If you can’t embrace that, if you don’t believe it, then what’s the point of saying it?”
Even after re-signing with Green Bay this offseason, Kuhn isn’t taking anything for granted.
“You have to. This is the NFL. Thing happen all the time and if you don’t embrace it — if you don’t truly look at it as an opportunity to make yourself better — you’re only selling yourself short.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFC…
- Count current 49ers wideout Torrey Smith among those who believe Ray Rice deserves a second chance. “Good people make mistakes,” Smith told TMZ Sports regarding his former Ravens teammate. “I believe in second chances and I think society is supposed to be built on the idea that you can suffer consequences and come back. . . . People sometimes want you to apologize a certain way, crying or all upset. He’s made things right with his wife and family and earned respect with his actions since the incident.”
- Cardinals general manager Steve Keim mentioned the team was open to the possibility of trades before the season, and Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com has picked out a few position groups that could still get shaken up. He picks the defensive line, secondary, and offensive line as places where the Cardinals may have some extra depth that could get moved for the right price.
- Saints owner Tom Benson’s competency trial should come to a conclusion sometime next week, but Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com assures fans that no matter what the outcome and who is eventually put in charge of the team, the team has no plans to relocate, and are locked into their stadium lease until 2025.
- The Rams need a new football stadium in St. Louis, and without it the team will be forced to relocate, writes Bernie Miklasz of STLToday.com. However, he analyzed the six owners Roger Goodell put in charge of overseeing possible relocation developments to Los Angeles–Clark Hunt, Robert Kraft, John Mara, Bob McNair, Jerry Richardson, and Art Rooney II. With that group in charge, Miklasz feels confident the city of St. Louis will be treated fairly.
Rob DiRe contributed to this post.
WR Rumors: Welker, D. Thomas, J. Jones
Wes Welker, Demaryius Thomas, and James Jones spent the 2014 season playing in the AFC West, but now all three receivers are free agents. Thomas, of course, isn’t on the unrestricted market like Welker and Jones, but he has yet to sign his one-year franchise tender, meaning he’s not yet officially under contract with the Broncos.
Here’s the latest on the trio of wideouts:
- A general manager tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report that his team strongly considered signing Welker, but “there was great concern” about his history of concussions. As Freeman writes, teams familiar with Welker’s medical history say they think the ex-Bronco has sustained at least six concussions during his NFL career.
- Despite the concern about Welker’s head injuries, which will keep many suitors away, there are still teams interested in adding him. According to Freeman, the Patriots and Broncos aren’t interested in a reunion with Welker, but the Ravens and Dolphins could be good fits.
- Thomas, Welker’s old Denver teammate, has until July 15 to sign a long-term contract with the Broncos, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says Thomas may not report to training camp if the two sides don’t strike a deal.
- While the Broncos consider Thomas’ asking price too high, some league executives have suggested to Rapoport that Thomas deserves a Calvin Johnson-esque deal, based on Thomas’ recent production and the salary cap increases over the last couple years. When Johnson inked his eight-year, $130MM extension in 2012, the cap was $120.6MM. Three years later, it’s up to $143.28MM.
- Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link) today, Jones identified the Jaguars as a potential fit for him. He also mentioned the Chiefs, Giants, and Seahawks, three teams that reportedly inquired on him when he became a free agent last month.
North Notes: Vikings, Gipson, Guion
To say that things have been rocky between the Vikings and star running back Adrian Peterson this offseason would be a criminal understatement. Still, Vikings owner Zygi Wilf says that he holds no animosity towards Peterson.
“He’s always had a good heart,” Wilf said of the former MVP, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “He’s a great football player. We have great memories, and we’ll continue to have good memories with him. … He’s been great for the community, and that’s basically who he is, and when you know that’s the character of that person, you believe in him.”
Peterson, of course, is pushing for a reworked contract that gives him guaranteed cash for the remaining three seasons – or at least the first two years – of his deal.
Let’s check in on a few more items from out of the NFL’s North divisions….
- The Browns could rescind Tashaun Gipson‘s restricted free agent tender next Monday, but head coach Mike Pettine wouldn’t comment today on whether or not that’s in the team’s plans, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal. If Cleveland does withdraw Gipson’s RFA offer, worth $2.356MM, the team could retain the safety’s rights by offering him a tender worth about $627K (110% of his 2014 salary).
- Pete Dougherty of the Press-Gazette feels that the Packers were right to re-sign Letroy Guion this offseason, but it’s now on the defensive tackle to stay away from marijuana. Guion was arrested with about two-thirds of a pound of pot, which could indicate a pretty serious problem. Guion, 27, had an effective first season with the Packers in 2014, starting all 16 games for the team and racking up 41 tackles to go along with 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
- Although the Ravens are saying all the right things about Arthur Brown publicly, it’s fair to wonder if this year is the linebacker’s last chance with the team, writes Bo Smolka of CSNBaltimore.com. I’d be somewhat surprised if Baltimore gave up on Brown this summer, but he has certainly been underwhelming since joining the club as a second-round pick in 2013.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
North Notes: Lions, Flacco, A. Brown
Special teams standout Brad Smith, who has played all over the field in his NFL career, will pay a visit to the Lions on Tuesday, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. While Smith has seen time at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver during his NFL career, and was a very productive kick returner a few years ago, his primary contributions at this point in his career will come in kick and punt coverage.
Meanwhile, a Lions free agent, defensive tackle C.J. Mosley, is visiting an unknown team today, per Birkett. There were conflicting reports last week on whether Detroit has interest in re-signing Mosley, and Birkett notes that while the Lions have engaged with the defensive lineman about a possible return, no agreement is imminent.
Here’s more from out of the NFL’s two North divisions:
- Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco would like to play in the NFL until he’s at least 40 years old, as he tells Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Of course, we should probably take Flacco’s comments with a grain of salt at this point, considering he just turned 30 earlier this year.
- While the Steelers may not adjust Antonio Brown‘s contract this year, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, with the help of former NFL salary cap analyst J.I. Halsell, attempts to identify a potential extension scenario that could work for both sides.
- Judge David Doty will hear the NFLPA’s motion to hold Roger Goodell in contempt of court in the Adrian Peterson case on August 13, tweets Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. Doty ruled in favor of the NFLPA back in February, granting the union’s motion to overturn the league’s decision on Peterson’s suspension, but the NFL didn’t reinstate the Vikings running back until mid-April.
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun passes along word of a couple auditions taking place this week, reporting (via Twitter) that center/guard Ben Gottschalk is trying out for the Packers today and former Hawaii defensive end Beau Yap is working out for the Bengals tomorrow.
AFC North Notes: McCown, Carter, Thomas
Much has been made of the Browns‘ quarterback situation heading into 2015, with a great deal of the discussion revolving around second-year signal-caller Johnny Manziel. But there has been significantly less attention devoted to the man who will more than likely be under center when Week 1 rolls around, Josh McCown.
McCown, signed to a three-year, $14MM contract this offseason, is not the solution at quarterback that Cleveland fans desperately seek. He is 35, and he has largely served as a backup in his 12 seasons in the league, compiling a 17-32 record as a starter. However, head coach Mike Pettine thinks that even if McCown is not the long-term answer, he does represent the next best thing. Pettine had this to say at yesterday’s Fan Fest (from Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal):
“Until you feel you’ve found what you would call a long-term solution, I don’t think we could have done any better than bringing in a guy like Josh McCown…It’s like having another coach on the field, and it’s all genuine. That’s the thing you like the most. Despite his age, people that have been at practice agree, he can still spin it. We didn’t just look to bring in a guy who was just going to be a mentor. We wanted a guy who we think can still play a little bit if you put him in the right circumstances. He’s been more than advertised.”
As Ulrich writes, Pettine’s comments, which were echoed by GM Ray Farmer, suggest that McCown is not only the favorite to win the starting job out of training camp this season, he is a lock.
Let’s check out a couple of more links from the AFC North:
- As we learned several weeks ago, Browns safety Tashaun Gipson is the only restricted free agent who appears demonstratively unhappy with his contract situation, as he was offered a second-round tender rather than a first-round tender. As Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com writes, the Browns should have gone the extra mile and extended the first-round offer, which would have cost the team an extra $1MM but would have set a positive tone for extension talks. Grossi believes, however, that the situation could still be resolved amicably.
- By releasing Jacoby Jones this offseason, the Ravens left themselves a hole at kick returner. One of the early favorites for that role, Michael Campanaro, has struggled with injury in his young career, and though cornerback Lardarius Webb was an effective returner a few years ago, injuries have taken their toll on him as well, and Baltimore does not want to risk losing their No. 2 corner to a special teams injury. As Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com writes, that leaves the door wide open for undrafted free agent DeAndre Carter, the diminutive receiver who showed explosive speed at Sacramento State and whose chances to stick on the 53-man roster seem to increase with each passing day.
- Shamarko Thomas has battled injury in his first two seasons in the league, but in the wake of Troy Polamalu‘s retirement, he now has the chance to establish himself as the Steelers‘ long-term answer at strong safety. Ralph N. Paulk of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review describes the work that Thomas has put in this offseason to ensure that he capitalizes on his opportunity, work that has not gone unnoticed by Thomas’ running mate st safety, Mike Mitchell.