2016 Home And Away Opponents Named For All 32 NFL Teams
Free Agent Notes: Weddle, Jeffery, Fitzpatrick
Based on how the season played out for safety Eric Weddle and the Chargers, there’s a general belief that Weddle won’t be back with the franchise in 2016. That appeared to be his stance when he spoke to reporters today, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune, who tweets that Weddle seemed “resolved” that he has played his final game as a Charger. The standout safety will be looking for the “right fit” in free agency, one that gives him a chance to win a title (Twitter link via Gehlken).
Here are a few more Monday items on this winter’s potential free agents:
- Asked today about whether he wants to come back to Chicago next season, free-agent-to-be Alshon Jeffery perhaps wasn’t quite as enthusiastic about the possibility of re-signing with his current team as some players are. As Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune writes, the Bears wideout repeatedly said he loves “the city of Chicago,” but deferred to his agent and GM Ryan Pace when asked about his contract situation, adding that “whatever happens, happens.”
- With Ryan Fitzpatrick eligible for free agency this winter, re-signing the veteran quarterback is a high priority for the Jets, head coach Todd Bowles said today. Bowles added that Fitzpatrick would be the club’s starter if he returns for 2016 (Twitter links via Brian Costello of the New York Post).
- Two key pieces of Buffalo’s offensive line, left tackle Cordy Glenn and left guard Richie Incognito, are potential free agents this offseason, and longtime Bills offensive lineman Eric Wood says it’s “very important” for the club to re-sign both players. Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News provides the details and the quotes from Wood.
Dolphins Request Interview With Josh McDaniels
The Dolphins have already lined up multiple head coaching interviews for this week, with Teryl Austin, Adam Gase, Doug Marrone, and Dan Campbell among the candidates meeting with the team in the coming days. However, Miami is working to schedule interview with several more assistant coaches, most of them from within the AFC East.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link), the Dolphins are requesting head coaching interview with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, and Bills assistant head coach Anthony Lynn. It’s not clear yet if the division-rival Pats will grant Miami permission to interview their assistants, but Buffalo has granted Lynn permission to speak to the Dolphins on Wednesday, per Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.
In addition to Austin, Gase, Marrone, Campbell, and the three AFC East assistants, the Dolphins have also been linked to Todd Haley, Dirk Koetter, Mike Shanahan, and Jim Mora Jr., so it sounds like their search will be an expansive one. Former Falcons head coach Mike Smith has been mentioned as a candidate for Miami as well, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Smith will interview with at least one team, but it’s not clear if the Dolphins are that team.
In other news out of Miami, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets that new GM Chris Grier, whose hiring was announced earlier today, will report directly to Mike Tannenbaum, making for a cleaner organizational flowchart than the one the team employed in 2015.
AFC East Notes: Incognito, Miller, Jets
With the NFL offseason now underway for every AFC East team except the Patriots, let’s check in on those three non-playoff teams from out of the division…
- Bills guard Richie Incognito, who signed a one-year deal with the team last February, called himself “a Buffalo guy,” and says he hopes to remain with the Bills in 2016 and beyond. However, as Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News details, Incognito confirmed there have been no negotiations yet between the team and agent David Dunn.
- Potential free agent running back Lamar Miller told reporters today that he would like to remain with the Dolphins next season, but scheme and fit will be important for him. According to James Walker of ESPN.com (Twitter links), it sounds like Miller wants to end up somewhere where he’ll get more consistent carries than he did in 2015.
- Insiders tell Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link) that the Jets are expected to target a quarterback in the first two rounds of this year’s draft. New York traded up in the fourth round to snag Bryce Petty in 2015, so it’ll be interesting to see if the team decides to add another young QB this year.
- Veteran guard Willie Colon said he wants to keep playing in 2016, but admits that’s his mind talking, and his body might have other ideas, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Colon’s contract with the Jets is expiring, so he’ll have to sign a new one with New York or another club to continue his career.
- Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday takes a look at the future of the Jets‘ defensive line, with Muhammad Wilkerson and Damon Harrison both eligible for free agency this winter.
Top 20 Teams Set For 2016 NFL Draft
With the 2015 NFL regular season now complete, the 2016 draft order has been set for the teams that didn’t earn playoff berths this year.
The order for the top 20 is determined first by record — the teams with the worst records get the highest picks. The tiebreaker for teams that finish with identical records is strength of schedules. The easier the team’s schedule, the higher its pick. The thinking there is that if two teams finished with the same record, the team that played the easier schedule is likely the “worst” of the two teams, earning that club the higher pick.
Via NFL.com, here’s how the top 20 breaks down for the 2016 NFL draft, with each team’s record and opponents’ winning percentage noted in parentheses:
- Tennessee Titans (3-13, .492)
- Cleveland Browns (3-13, .531)
- San Diego Chargers (4-12, .527)
- Dallas Cowboys (4-12, .531)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11, .473)
- Baltimore Ravens (5-11, .508)
- San Francisco 49ers (5-11, .539)
- Miami Dolphins (6-10, .469)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-10, .484)
- New York Giants (6-10, .500)
- Chicago Bears (6-10, .547)
- New Orleans Saints (7-9, .504)
- Philadelphia Eagles (7-9, .508)
- Oakland Raiders (7-9, .512)
- St. Louis Rams (7-9, .527)
- Detroit Lions (7-9, .535)
- Atlanta Falcons (8-8, .481)
- Indianapolis Colts (8-8, .500)
- Buffalo Bills (8-8, .508)
- New York Jets (10-6, .441)
While teams that played weaker schedules will get the higher draft picks – via tiebreaker – in the first round, that’s not the case for every round. Teams that finished with identical records will rotate order throughout the draft, so the Browns, for instance, will pick ahead of the Titans in round two.
As for the remaining 12 spots, those will be determined based on which teams are eliminated from the playoffs first. The four teams knocked out in the Wild Card round will pick 21st through 24th, for example — the clubs with the weaker records will get the higher picks. The full order will be determined after the Super Bowl, with this year’s champion getting the last pick of the first round — unless, of course, that’s the Patriots, who won’t have a first-rounder in 2016.
Extra Points: Marshall, Bills, Prospects
Some assorted notes from around the NFL…
- Brandon Marshall‘s tenure with the Bears didn’t end on the most pleasant terms, and the current Jets wideout has used that as motivation for this season. “I can care less about stats and the awards,” Marshall told Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com. “I wanted my character to be rebuilt [in Chicago], and I did that. Then it was ripped away from me. So I’m still a little angry about that, but I’m just going to use that for motivation to keep going.”
- With Mario Williams on his way out of Buffalo, linebacker Preston Brown wants to be “the guy” for the Bills in 2016. However, considering the constant roster turnover, the 23-year-old isn’t certain he’ll even be on the team next season. “You always want to go be that guy,” Brown told Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News. “But I’m not in control of that. If I’m here, if I’m not, I don’t know what happens with everybody. You never know. I’ll just go out there and try to do my job each week.”
- Oklahoma cornerback Zack Sanchez and linebacker Dominique Alexander have both declared for the upcoming draft (via Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller on Twitter).
- The Dolphins would be “wise” to pursue Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, tweets Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole. If the coaching staff in Detroit is let go, Cole believes Austin could fill a variety of roles for Miami, including defensive coordinator or head coach.
East Notes: Bills, Jets, Eagles
Given his 2016 cap hit ($19.9MM) and apparent inability to fit into head coach Rex Ryan‘s scheme, there’s a strong likelihood defensive end Mario Williams will play his final game with the Bills on Sunday. The 30-year-old has totaled just 17 tackles and a career-low four sacks this season, grading a terrible 94th out of 107 edge defenders by Pro Football Focus’ standards (subscription required). Williams’ downturn in performance could be symptomatic of his attitude, as an anonymous teammate alluded to (Twitter link via The Buffalo News’ Tyler Dunne).
“We could easily have 5 solid players contributing than 1 guy who doesn’t give a s—,” the player stated.
Williams issued a retort (Twitter link via Dunne).
“I could just literally not be out there,” he said. “When I get my opportunity, do it. Everybody who said that, they’ll see.”
More from the NFL’s two East divisions:
- Running back Bilal Powell‘s offseason decision to re-sign with the Jets on a one-year deal is paying dividends for both him and the team, the New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta writes. Powell had to choose between the Bills (and Ryan, his ex-coach) and Jets, whose backfield was less crowded than Buffalo’s at the time. Powell ended up staying in New York, and has been an important dual-threat weapon for a club that could be headed to the playoffs. Powell is averaging 4.5 yards per rush this season and, as Mehta notes, leads all NFL backs in receiving yards (299) and broken tackles on passing plays (12) since Week 11. In assessing Powell, head coach Todd Bowles said, “He’s been more of a complete back than even I thought he was coming in. He can block. He can run. He’s not just a pass catcher. He does a bunch of things for us.” Of course, what’s bittersweet for the Jets is that, as a pending free agent, Powell’s success could lead him to a raise and a different uniform in the coming months.
- Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie needs to clarify vice president of football operations Howie Roseman‘s role and hold him accountable for it – just as Lurie did with Chip Kelly – submits Jeff McLane of Philly.com. Lurie should give full control of the Eagles’ personnel department to Roseman and sink or swim with him in that position, according to McLane. Roseman’s say over the roster diminished when Kelly took the reins, which is ironic when you consider Roseman was key in the hiring of Kelly. He now has some of that power back with Kelly gone, but Lurie said that Roseman’s work with the personnel department will be “as a collaborator.” That isn’t enough for McLane, who believes someone needs to be in position to take the lion’s share of responsibility for building the roster. McLane also notes that Roseman could drive away potential head coaching candidates because he doesn’t have a scouting background and is perceived as a difficult person with whom to work. Nevertheless, Lurie and team president Don Smolenski will follow Roseman’s lead with respect to Philly’s coaching search, McLane reports.
- Earlier this week, after the Eagles fired Kelly, offensive tackle Lane Johnson claimed strife between Kelly and Roseman took a toll on the players. Johnson also stated players were hesitant to approach Kelly. Safety Malcolm Jenkins, Johnson’s teammate, disagrees. Regarding Johnson’s opinion on the Kelly-Roseman feud, Jenkins said (per Les Bowen of Philly.com) that Johnson “reads too many articles.” On Johnson’s notion that Kelly wasn’t approachable, Jenkins added, “I think the perception was not necessarily the reality.”
East Notes: Chip, Dolphins, Bills, M. Williams
Hours after being fired as head coach of the Eagles, Chip Kelly released a statement reflecting on his tenure (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports). The statement, which can be read in full at the link, saw Kelly thank both owner Jeffrey Lurie and Philadelphia fans, while expressing regret that he wasn’t able to lead the club to a Super Bowl title.
Here’s a look at more from the NFL’s two East divisions:
- Alex Marvez of FOX Sports lists three potential candidates for the Dolphins‘ head coaching job, identifying former Lions coach Jim Schwartz, Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula, and UCLA coach Jim Mora Jr. as viable options for Miami.
- Bills safety Aaron Williams‘ season is over, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link), who reports that Williams’ practice period has expired. Williams, who was on injured reserve/designated to return, was said to be mulling retirement earlier this month as he deals with a neck injury.
- Former Syracuse offensive tackle Sean Hickey, who has spent time with the Saints and Patriots this year, visited the Bills, according to Wilson (Twitter link).
- Wilson also passes along a workout note on the Giants, tweeting that New York auditioned defensive back C.J. Conway this week. Conway is a familiar face for the Giants, having started the year on the team’s practice squad before being cut in Week 2.
- We learned earlier today that the Bills plan to cut defensive end Mario Williams during the offseason, and that decision won’t disappoint at least of Williams’ teammates, per Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News (Twitter links), who quotes a fellow Bill as saying Williams displays “zero effort,” “doesn’t care about anybody but himself,” and has “totally checked out.”
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Bills Plan To Cut Mario Williams In Offseason
Mario Williams hasn’t exactly had a smooth transition this season adjusting to Rex Ryan‘s defense, and the high-priced defensive end may not be the Bills’ plans beyond 2015. A person with “direct knowledge of discussion” tells John Wawrow of The Associated Press that Buffalo intends to cut Williams during the offseason.
Asked today about the report, Ryan dismissed it, saying he has no idea where it’s coming from, per Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. And it’s worth noting that even if the Bills have tentative plans in place now, there’s no guarantee those plans will be executed several weeks or months from now. Still, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Bills deemed Williams expendable.
In addition to the steep drop in his production this season – he has 17 tackles and four sacks after recording 42 and 14.5 last year – Williams will be one of the priciest defensive players in the NFL in 2016. His cap charge is set to increase to $19.9MM, which is accompanied by an $11.5MM base salary. Releasing the veteran pass rusher would save the Bills nearly $13MM in cap room, leaving the club with only $7MM in dead money on its books.
When I examined the Bills’ 2016 cap situation back in October, I identified Williams as a candidate to have his contract restructured, rather than being dropped form the roster entirely. But since then, the extent of his struggles in Ryan’s system have become more obvious, so it makes sense that he’s now considered a release candidate.
If the Bills cut Williams after the Super Bowl, he wouldn’t be subject to waivers — he’d immediately become an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with any team.
Workout Notes: 12/30/15
Here are Wednesday’s workouts from around the NFL:
- The Jets worked out defensive lineman Devon Still, receivers Marcus Thigpen and Eric Rogers, linebacker Willie Jefferson and defensive end/LB Tristan Okpalaugo (Twitter links via ESPN’s Rich Cimini).
- The Cardinals tried out center Taylor Boggs, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
- The Bills worked out defensive end/linebacker Xzavier Dickson, Wilson tweeted. Dickson ended up joining Atlanta’s practice squad.
- The Bengals worked out quarterback Mike Kafka and tight end John Peters, per Wilson (on Twitter).
- The Browns tried out quarterback Dustin Vaughan, running back Timothy Flanders, receivers Eric Rogers, Ricky Collins and Levi Norwood, and safety Jordan Kovacs (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Quarterback Ryan Lindley, defensive linemen Warren Herring and Eze Obiora, and linebacker Ryan Mueller worked out for the Colts, according to Wilson (Twitter link). They signed Lindley afterward.
- The Giants worked out linebackers Cole Farrand and Glenn Carson – the latter of whom they signed to their practice squad – quarterback Pete Thomas, safety Ty Zimmerman, punter Spencer Roth and kicker Quinn Sharp (Twitter link via Wilson).
- The Steelers tried out two safeties, Ray Vinopal and Jake Hagen, and linebacker Marquis Spruill (via Wilson on Twitter).
- The Chargers worked out receiver Jeff Fuller, defensive end DeAngelo Tyson and linebacker Dexter McCoil, Wilson tweeted.
- The Titans worked out receiver Kenny Stafford, defensive end Freddie Bishop, defensive backs Aaron Grymes, Steven Clarke and Emanuel Davis, long snapper Dax Dellenbach and kicker Swayze Waters (Twitter link via Wilson).