Marcell Dareus Frustrated With Bills’ Talks
A report yesterday indicated that contract extension discussions between the Bills and star defensive lineman Marcell Dareus had come to a standstill, and Dareus himself confirmed as much after last night’s win over the Browns. Speaking to Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News, Dareus took the negotiations public, expressing frustration with the process.
“They’re making it hard,” Dareus said. “And it’s just really making me unhappy. I feel like they don’t really want me here. … I feel like they don’t want me here as bad as I want to be here, as bad as the fans and my team wants me here. I feel like they’re saying, ‘Whatever. You come a dime a dozen.'”
According to Dunne, the Bills have offered Dareus a six-year extension worth more than $90MM, though it’s not clear what portion of that money would be guaranteed. It’s a per-year average of $15MM+, which would exceed Gerald McCoy‘s deal but falls short of contracts like those signed by J.J. Watt and especially Ndamukong Suh. Dareus appears to be using the latter player’s deal as a benchmark — asked if he had a specific figure in mind, the Bills’ Pro Bowler replied, “I’ll just say, ‘Thank you, Suh.'”
As Dunne observes, the Bills committed big money to a handful of players earlier this offseason, and have potential extensions for players like cornerback Stephon Gilmore, tackle Cordy Glenn and outside linebacker Nigel Bradham to consider. However, if the club isn’t careful, it could risk losing Dareus, or at least having to use its franchise tag on him in 2016. For now, he doesn’t appear willing to settle.
“They’re playing,” Dareus said. “It’s a contract game. They’re playing. They’re going back and forth. I play one game, they play this game. There’s not much I can really say. I know what I’m worth.”
Extra Points: Cousins, Jets, Hilton, Watkins
If Dan Quinn was hired by the Jets instead of Todd Bowles, the team likely would have dumped Geno Smith in favor of Kirk Cousins, Manish Mehta of the Daily News hears. Quinn’s plan for Gang Green included adding offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, and his vision didn’t include Smith. Sources say the Washington play-caller wanted to instead trade for Cousins, who showed promise in two years under Shanahan While you ponder that what-if, here’s more from around the NFL..
- After the Colts signed T.Y. Hilton to a $65MM deal, Stephen Holder of the Indy Star wonders if the team will still have enough room to get deals done with its other young stars. The Colts will have to cut a massive check to Pro Bowl quarterback Andrew Luck, who will command far more than $20MM annually. Also, the team is negotiating with left tackle Anthony Castonzo, who is essential as one of Luck’s protectors. By the time the Colts get to the likes of tight ends Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener, it’s fair to wonder if they’ll have enough cash to get deals done.
- Jets guard Oday Aboushi has been suspended without pay for the first game of the season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets. In a statement issued by Aboushi’s reps (via Rand Getlin of NFL.com on Twitter), they explained that the lineman was stopped in his car back in January when cops found a small amount of pot in his car.
- With the Bills and Browns facing off on Monday night, Chris Fedor of The Plain Dealer revisited last year’s Sammy Watkins deal. Cornerback Justin Gilbert, who the Browns took with the No. 8 pick, has been off to a rough start and some are question whether he’ll ever meet his rookie year expectations. Cleveland’s side of the deal will also hinge heavily on the future of offensive lineman Cameron Erving, who the Browns selected with the Bills’ pick this year.
Bills LeSean McCoy Likely Back For Week 1
Bills head coach Rex Ryan told Lisa Salters of ESPN (via Twitter) that he is “cautiously optimistic” LeSean McCoy will be able to play in the club’s season opener vs. the Colts. Ryan’s words echo a recent report from Adam Schefter of ESPN.com who heard that McCoy will likely be ready for Week 1.
Buffalo will be without the services of their No. 1 tailback as they face the Browns in preseason action tonight and they’ll be without his main understudies as well. The Bills announced on Thursday that Fred Jackson (hamstring), Anthony Dixon (calf), and Karlos Williams (illness) are also unavailable. Due to the various injuries and ailments, the Bills’ top three backs this evening will be Cierre Wood, Ricky Seale, and Bronson Hill.
Despite the Bills’ shaky situation at running back, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News reported on Wednesday that the club has decided against signing free agent Ray Rice. Rice comes with obvious baggage and it doesn’t help that the last time he saw the field, in 2013, he had a miserable season in Baltimore, averaging just 3.1 yard per rush on 214 carries, and 5.5 yards per reception on 58 catches. With McCoy apparently on the mend from a hamstring injury, it doesn’t sound like we should expect the Bills to ink any other big time running backs either.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/20/15
Today’s minor moves, signings, and other transactions..
- The Cowboys signed wide receivers Phil Bates and Edmond Gates as well as linebacker Dakorey Johnson, Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. To make room, Dallas waived Lache Seastrunk, Reggie Dunn, Deontay Greenberry, and Brandon Smith (link).
- The Bills have reached an injury settlement with tight end Clay Burton, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News tweets.
- The Broncos announced that they were awarded tight end Jake Murphy off waivers from the Bengals on Thursday. To make room, they placed nose tackle Marvin Austin Jr. on injured reserve. The 6-foot-4, 252-pound Murphy, a Utah product, spent half of last year on the Bengals’ practice squad after playing for Oakland last summer. Murphy’s father is Dale Murphy, the two-time National League MVP (1982-83) with the Braves who eventually concluded his career with the Colorado Rockies. His older brother, Shawn, was with the Broncos during the 2011 preseason as an offensive lineman.
Marcell Dareus Contract Talks At Standstill
The Bills have stressed since the draft that their top offseason priority is getting a new contract done for star defensive lineman Marcell Dareus. However, for now, negotiations on that extension are at a standstill, two sources tell John Wawrow of The Associated Press.
One source tells Wawrow that the Bills and Dareus’ camp haven’t exchanged offers within the last few weeks, raising concerns that the two sides won’t be able to get something done before the regular season gets underway. Buffalo’s Week 1 game isn’t viewed as a hard deadline for the contract talks, but players generally prefer to focus on football once the regular season gets underway.
Back at the end of July, Bills general manager Doug Whaley confirmed that he and Dareus’ reps had exchanged proposals, but cautioned that “these things take time.” With the 25-year-old heading into the final year of his rookie contract, I still think there’s a good chance the club locks him up within the next few weeks.
When I examined Dareus as an extension candidate, I suggested that his camp would likely push for an extension in the ballpark of J.J. Watt‘s deal, or perhaps even aim for something similar Ndamukong Suh‘s new contract. However, the team is probably seeking something closer to Gerald McCoy‘s deal with the Buccaneers.
As Over the Cap’s data shows, Suh, Watt, and McCoy are earning $19.06MM, $16.67MM, and $13.6MM per year, respectively.
Bills Internally Discussing Ray Rice
10:40am: A source tells Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (Twitter link) that there’s “zero” chance the Bills will sign Rice. The club added free agent running back Cierre Wood earlier today.
9:13am: With most of their top running backs dealing with an injury of some sort, the Bills are having internal discussions about whether or not to pursue free agent running back Ray Rice, reports Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
Starting running back LeSean McCoy is the latest player in the Bills’ backfield to be sidelined. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), McCoy, who injured his hamstring on Tuesday, is expected to be ready to go for the team’s regular-season opener against the Colts. Still, with McCoy expected to miss a few weeks, and Fred Jackson (hamstring), Anthony Dixon (calf), and Karlos Williams (illness) also battling health issues, a veteran addition may be necessary.
Rice, of course, comes with plenty of baggage — because of the elevator video that showed him knocking his then-fiancée unconscious, no team has been willing to take a flier on him since the Ravens released him last fall. It doesn’t help Rice’s case that the last time he saw the field, in 2013, he had a miserable season in Baltimore, averaging just 3.1 yard per rush on 214 carries, and 5.5 yards per reception on 58 catches.
Under new head coach Rex Ryan, however, the Bills have shown a willingness this offseason to roll the dice on players with troubling off-field reputations, including Richie Incognito, Percy Harvin, and IK Enemkpali. Ryan also has some history with Rice, having served as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator in Baltimore during the running back’s first year with the Ravens in 2008.
Reports this offseason have indicated that, while some general managers and coaches have expressed interest in Rice, owners have been reluctant to sign off on him. So if the Bills decide they want to add the former Raven to their roster, it will require Terry and Kim Pegula’s approval.
Bills Sign Red Bryant
The Bills have announced a series of transactions, according to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News, who tweets that the team has signed veteran defensive lineman Red Bryant. In addition to signing Bryant, the Bills also added running back Cierre Wood, cutting tight end Chris Manhertz and cornerback Rod Sweeting.
Bryant, who was among the defensive players to work out for the Bills earlier this week, saw time in all 16 games in his first and only season for the Jaguars in 2014. In total, he racked up 23 tackles to go with one pass deflection and one sack. The 31-year-old graded out as a slightly below-average contributor, according to Pro Football Focus‘ (subscription required) metrics, coming in with a -1.6 grade. Overall, that placed him 31st out of 59 qualified 4-3 defensive ends.
Before his season in Jacksonville, Bryant spent six years with the Seahawks, starting all but one regular-season contest for the team from 2011 to 2013. Although Bryant has been a starter for the last four years, one GM tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that the veteran defender is best used in a rotation at this point in his career, perhaps for 20-30 plays per game. That shouldn’t be a problem in Buffalo, where the Bills have plenty of talent on the defensive line, even after taking a few injury hits.
The addition of Wood should help provide depth at another injury-plagued position for the Bills, though it’s not clear if his signing means the team has decided not to sign a veteran like Ray Rice. As I outlined earlier today, Buffalo had been discussing a possible pursuit of Rice, with LeSean McCoy (hamstring), Fred Jackson (hamstring), Anthony Dixon (calf), and Karlos Williams (illness) all battling health issues.
Extra Points: McCoy, Rice, Bucs, Broncos
Could this finally be Rueben Randle‘s breakout year? The wide receiver has long been expected to emerge as a star in New York and the Giants have a feeling that 2015 could be his time to shine, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) says. Randle is entering his contract year and a strong performance could lead him to a sizable payday in the offseason, whether it’s with the Giants or another squad. GM Jerry Reese also believes that the presence of Odell Beckham Jr. and the returning Victor Cruz will open things up for the 24-year-old. Here’s more from around the NFL..
- Bills running back LeSean McCoy suffered a hamstring injury earlier today and the team ordered an MRI to determine the severity of it. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) now wonders if Ray Rice‘s best shot for a deal could be in Buffalo. Head coach Rex Ryan and Rice have a shared history thanks to their time together in Baltimore.
- Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith says the starting right tackle job is up for grabs, though he added that he wouldn’t have signed Gosder Cherilus if they didn’t expect him to help right away, Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com tweets. Tampa Bay signed the veteran to a lucrative two-year deal on Monday.
- Cherilus says he believes the Bucs would have drafted him if he lasted until pick No. 20 in 2008, Smith tweets. The offensive lineman wound up going 17th to the Lions instead.
- Last week, the Broncos claimed Spencer Lanning off waivers when the Buccaneers waived him and Troy Renck of The Denver Post (on Twitter) notes that the Broncos put in a claim back when the Browns cut him loose. This means that Lanning has been on the radar for Denver for quite a while and this could be an indication that he has momentum going into the team’s kicking competition.
East Notes: Brady, Cooley, RGIII, Eli, Manuel
Multiple reporters in attendance at Patriots‘ practice today have indicated that Tom Brady is absent, and Tom Pelissero of USA Today offers a likely explanation, tweeting that Brady plans to attend tomorrow’s federal court hearing in New York. The session in Judge Richard M. Berman’s courtroom is optional for Brady and commissioner Roger Goodell, but the fact that the Patriots quarterback will attend in person could score him some points with Judge Berman.
As we wait to see what – if anything – comes of tomorrow’s hearing on the Brady case, let’s check in on several more items from around the NFL’s two East divisions….
- Former Washington tight end Chris Cooley admits he is “literally begging” to join his old team, explaining that he has offered to play on “the most minimum deal possible” if Washington signs him, per J.J. Regan of CSNWashington.com. Cooley’s proposal to Washington includes no bonuses or incentives, no guaranteed money, and a promise that he’d give $50K of his salary to charity.
- Robert Griffin III is currently under contract through the 2016 season, but he’d like to remain in Washington beyond that, telling CSNWashington’s Chick Hernandez that he hopes to stay with the club for his “whole career.”
- Despite John Mara‘s comments about wanting to get Eli Manning locked up to an extension before the season begins, there’s no rush or deadline for the Giants, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com, who writes that a new deal will happen sooner or later. We heard yesterday that Manning wants to become the league’s highest-paid player, and while that was met with disbelief by some, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explains why it’s not as outrageous as you might think.
- As he competes for the starting job in Buffalo, quarterback E.J. Manuel acknowledges that his days with the Bills may be numbered if he doesn’t earn that No. 1 role, writes John Wawrow of The Associated Press. Wawrow suggests that Manuel is behind both Tyrod Taylor and Matt Cassel in the race for the Bills’ starting job, but the former first-round pick remains confident in his NFL future. “At the end of the day, if I play well, it should take care of itself,” Manuel said. “Whether it’s here or whether it’s somewhere else, I don’t know.”
Bills To Sign Quentin Groves
Veteran linebacker Quentin Groves has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Bills, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Groves, 31, appeared in all 16 regular season games for the Titans last season, including three starts. The linebacker, a former second round pick by the Jaguars, has bounced around a bit over the years and will now be joining his sixth team, assuming that he makes the Bills’ roster.
Over the course of seven NFL seasons, Groves has appeared in 100 games for the Jaguars, Raiders, Cardinals, Browns, and Titans. As an outside linebacker for Arizona in 2012, Groves amassed 4.0 sacks and 41 tackles, his best season to date.