AFC Mailbags: Bills, Raiders, Jets, Colts
It’s a June Saturday, so that means a full dose of mailbags from the NFL beat writers. We’ll start with some Bills thoughts.
- Walk-year left tackle Cordy Glenn could be the odd man out when it comes to contract re-ups next offseason, writes Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. The fourth-year starter’s put together a solid body of work, particularly in 2013 where Pro Football Focus slotted the 2012 second-round pick as its 13th-best tackle. But with Marcell Dareus‘ massive second payday forthcoming, Glenn’s next deal may come from elsewhere, since Carucci doesn’t believe the Bills view him as a certainty to play up to the kind of contract a quality left tackle commands in free agency.
- Showing up late for minicamp may cost right tackle Seantrel Henderson his starting job, with 2014 second-rounder Cyrus Kouandjio stepping in as a result. This could just be for minicamp as Buffalo assesses its front-line talent, but Carucci notes that with Glenn potentially in his last season with the team, they may need to see what they have in Kouandjio.
- Third-round pick Clive Walford has a chance to beat out incumbent Mychal Rivera for the Raiders‘ starting tight end job if he keeps up the play he showed during minicamp, notes ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson. The ESPN scribe already views Walford, a 6-foot-4 Miami product, as a more dynamic playmaker than Rivera, who despite being a quality garbage-time fantasy option, rated as Pro Football Focus’ second-worst tight end (subscription required) in 2014.
- Jets ESPN.com reporter Rich Cimini thinks re-signing both Muhammad Wilkerson and, eventually, Sheldon Richardson will be difficult, with the possibility of defensive linemen making as much as $30MM per year in 2017. That eye-popping figure may be a bit high considering J.J. Watt and Ndamukong Suh don’t average $20MM per season. The Jets do allocate a league-high $34.4MM to their offensive front, and renegotiations there could help keep together what could be the best defensive line in the game. But Cimini expects the Jets to take a hard-line stance with Wilkerson after drafting Leonard Williams at No. 6.
- After alternating snaps in minicamp, Lance Louis and Hugh Thornton are the Colts‘ top candidates to start at right guard if Jack Mewhort moves to right tackle, writes ESPN.com’s Mike Wells. The oft-injured Donald Thomas is an outside candidate to reclaim that spot after multiple season-ending injuries, although he didn’t participate in minicamp.
Community Tailgate: 6/19/15
We’re still a few months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. This week, we’ve launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.
Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.
Today, we’ll take a closer look at Buffalo, where a starting quarterback has yet to be formally named. new head coach Rex Ryan admitted earlier this month that his team doesn’t have a LeBron James-type player at QB, which might be the understatement of the year. But if the Bills can get even average production of the position, the team should contend for a playoff spot, given the talent elsewhere on the roster.
The quarterbacks currently on the Bills’ roster are former first-round pick E.J. Manuel, offseason trade acquisition Matt Cassel, free agent signee Tyrod Taylor, and former Jet Matt Simms. Of the four, Cassel easily has the most starting experience, but Mike Rodak of ESPN.com writes that the former Viking was unimpressive in this week’s minicamp, and may be on the roster bubble heading into training camp.
Rodak’s report on Cassel is somewhat similar to what we heard last month about Manuel — the two signal-callers appeared to be the frontrunners to start for Buffalo coming out of the draft, but reports since then have suggested that neither player is a lock to make the team’s roster if he doesn’t win that starting job.
With neither Manuel nor Cassel stepping up to claim the starting job, Taylor is lurking as a dark horse. According to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, Bills coaches have given the former Raven every opportunity to prove his worth so far this offseason, giving him equal reps to Manuel and Cassel. Albert Breer of NFL Network also writes that Taylor shouldn’t be ruled out of the conversation, noting that Ryan tried to acquire him when he was coaching in New York.
We want to hear from you: Who do you think will – or should – win the Bills’ quarterback competition? If you’re a fan of a rival team, do any of these quarterbacks scare you at all? Or will the Bills struggle to score points no matter who’s under center? Jump into the comment section below to place your bets and voice your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to hearing what you have to say.
Minor Moves: Thursday
Today’s minor moves..
- The Titans waived tight end Taylor Thompson, tweets the Tennesseean’s Jim Wyatt. Thompson, whom the Titans chose in the fifth round of the 2012 draft, has 11 career catches. It was reported earlier this week that the Titans were primed to fine Thompson for showing up late to mandatory minicamp. He has also been dealing with knee issues.
- The Patriots cut tight end Logan Stokes, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Stokes signed with the Pats last week as an undrafted free agent out of LSU.
- The Chiefs signed cornerback Kenneth Penny and waived both guard Melvin Meggs and cornerback De’Vante Bausby, per Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter).
- The Bills signed free agent tight end Matthew Mulligan and released defensive back Merrill Noel, according to the Buffalo News’ Vic Carucci (Twitter link). The 30-year-old Mulligan, who has 16 career receptions, played under current Bills coach Rex Ryan as a member of the Jets from 2009-11.
- The Falcons signed veteran wide receiver Carlton Mitchell and waived fellow wideout Shane Wynn, writes D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Mitchell, a sixth-round pick in 2010, last saw action in 2011, when he caught three passes for the Browns. Wynn signed with Atlanta last month as an undrafted free agent out of Indiana.
- The Lions waived Bill Bentley after minicamp practice on Thursday, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (on Twitter). The cornerback was attempting to return from a torn ACL. Bentley played some nickel for Detroit over the last three years.
- The Packers released cornerback Travis Manning, according to Weston Hodkiewicz of the Press Gazette (on Twitter). Taking Manning’s place on the roster will be tight end Harold Spears, who was waived by the Saints earlier this week, according to Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune (on Twitter). Green Bay still has 89 players on the roster after today’s moves.
Bills Notes: McCown, Incognito, Fluellen
Here’s a quick look at the Bills..
- Nobody is comparing the Bills‘ stable of quarterbacks to Tom Brady, but they will be compared to Josh McCown, as Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports writes. McCown, of course, spurned the Bills to instead join up with the Browns this offseason. When McCown went to Cleveland, that opened the door for Matt Cassel, who is now duking it out with Tyrod Taylor and E.J. Manuel for the starting job.
- Bills guard Richie Incognito says he’s matured in his time off, as Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News writes. Reporters asked the controversial lineman if he’s changed after more than a year and a half away from the game. “You know, it’s six one way, half dozen the other,” he said. “I’ve definitely grown, definitely matured. I definitely did take some steps forward. But, you know, I think what this whole thing was, it really just shook me down to my core values, and really just kind of made me think about the kind of man I am.”
- Andre Fluellen‘s one-year deal with the Bills will pay him $870K with a $585K cap figure on minimum salary benefit, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Fluellen, 30, has spent nearly all of his career with the Lions since being drafted by the team in the third round back in 2008. However, he has never played a significant role in Detroit, acting as a part-time contributor over the course of 77 career games (75 with Detroit). In 2014, Fluellen recorded 10 tackles, two sacks, and a fumble recovery in 183 defensive snaps.
Bills Expect To Sign Wayne Hunter
Bills coach Rex Ryan told reporters that he expects to sign veteran offensive lineman Wayne Hunter, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Hunter has been trying out for Buffalo over the past couple of days.
It has been a couple years since we’ve heard from Hunter, who started all 16 games at right tackle for the Jets in 2011, and last appeared in the NFL in 2012. The tackle was widely criticized by Jets fans during his time in New York. In his final year in green, Hunter graded out as one of the very worst tackles in the NFL, according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Hunter finished with an overall grade of -24.6, ranking him 71st out of 76 qualified tackles.
In August of 2012, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer convinced the Rams to send Jason Smith east in order to bring Hunter to St. Louis. Hunter fared slightly better in his 14 games (4 starts) with the Rams, but still graded out with a below average mark according to PFF.
East Notes: Hunter, Bills, Giants
Earlier today, Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant took to Twitter to further present his side of the story in his contract dispute.
“$13MM is cool, but where is my security?” Bryant tweeted.
Recently, Bryant suggested that he is prepared to sit out regular season games if an extension isn’t in place. However, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones indicated that he’s not taking that threat seriously. Here’s more from the East divisions..
- Former Jets offensive lineman Wayne Hunter had a tryout for the Bills at the team’s minicamp today, per Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (via Twitter). It’s been a couple years since we’ve heard from Hunter, who started all 16 games at right tackle for the Jets in 2011, and last appeared in the NFL in 2012.
- Ereck Flowers is one of just six first-round draft picks without a signed NFL contract, but the Giants’ rookie left tackle isn’t worried, as Paul Schwartz of the New York Post writes. Flowers’ situation is unique in that he does not have an agent, so he is effectively represented by himself and his family. When asked if he might be a possible training camp holdout, Flowers said “I don’t see it getting to that point.’’
- When asked if he had any indication from the league when a ruling might be coming down, Jones said that he hasn’t. “No, I don’t. We don’t want to expect anything from a time standpoint. We don’t want to expect anything cause we need to have the league and Greg and us to have a full opportunity to have a thorough consideration,” the Cowboys owner said, according to Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram. Hardy’s suspension was the subject of today’s Community Tailgate here at PFR.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Wednesday
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves from around the NFL, with any additional transactions added to the top of the list throughout the evening:
- Bills defensive back Deon Broomfield has reverted to the reserve-injured list after being waived-injured and going unclaimed, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Broomfield was waived on Tuesday to make room for defensive tackle Andre Fluellen.
- The Raiders cut former Michigan receiver Jeremy Gallon from IR, Wilson tweets. Gallon joined Oakland on a reserve deal in December.
- Having been waived yesterday with an injured designation after suffering a torn ACL, tight end Zach Sudfeld went unclaimed and reverted to the Jets‘ injured reserve list today, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.
Earlier updates:
- The Panthers have signed former Chiefs guard Ricky Henry, waiving center Ronald Patrick to create room, the team announced today (via Twitter). Henry spent the 2014 season on Kansas City’s practice squad before signing a futures contract with the team and being waived last month.
- The Steelers have also made a minor change on their offensive line, signing interior lineman Collin Rahrig and waiving tackle Micah Hatchie with an injured designation, per Burt Lauten (Twitter link). Rahrig initially tried out for Pittsburgh after the draft in May.
- Back-of-the-roster players often find themselves being frequently signed and waived during the regular season, as teams shuffle their regular season rosters, but that back and forth is happening for running back Rasheed Williams during the offseason. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter), the Lions cut Williams again today. It’s the second time Williams has been let go by the club since first being signed as an undrafted free agent last month.
East Notes: Bryant, Williams, Henderson, Jets
With a couple dozen June minicamps around the NFL taking place this week, let’s check in on a few East teams whose sessions got underway yesterday….
- A Cowboys source tells Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram (on Twitter) that the Dez Bryant holdout threat is “not in our control.” Of course, the team certainly will play a part in determining whether or not the star wideout gets a new contract by the July 15 deadline. If that deadline passes without an agreement though, there’s not much the Cowboys can do for Bryant until after the season.
- Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio (audio link), Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said that there’s currently “too big of a divide” between the team and Bryant. Jones also indicated that it’s difficult to ascertain Bryant’s value since other top wide receivers around the league are also waiting for new deals. It’s possible that once A.J. Green, Demaryius Thomas, Julio Jones, or Bryant signs a new contract, the others will follow suit.
- We heard yesterday that offensive lineman Chris Williams and Seantrel Henderson were absent for the start of the Bills‘ minicamp. In a pair of pieces for ESPN.com, Mike Rodak explains that Williams did show up and participate on Tuesday, while “travel issues” kept Henderson away.
- Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com identifies outside linebacker Calvin Pace, running back Stevan Ridley, and guard Willie Colon as a few Jets veterans who could be on shaky ground once training camp rolls around.
- Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Jets and Mark Sanchez of the Eagles rank as the NFL’s top backup quarterbacks heading into training camp, in the view of John Clayton of ESPN.com. New York acquired Fitzpatrick in a trade this offseason, while Sanchez signed a new contract to remain in Philadelphia.
East Notes: Mathis, Flynn, Bills, McClain
Speaking to reporters today, Eagles head coach Chip Kelly addressed the team’s release of Pro Bowl guard Evan Mathis for the first time, explaining that Mathis’ agent asked multiple times for his client’s release. According to Kelly (all Twitter links), the club didn’t intend to alter Mathis’ contract, so after discussing all the possibilities, Philadelphia decided to let him go if he didn’t want to be there. The Eagles waited as long as they could to explore trade possibilities and to see how the draft and free agency played out before cutting the offensive lineman last week.
Kelly’s explanation doesn’t come as a real surprise, though I’m still somewhat skeptical that the Eagles couldn’t secure even a late-round pick for Mathis. It’s also worth noting that, in a similar situation, the Vikings didn’t give in to Adrian Peterson‘s agent demands, and now Peterson is saying all the right things as he prepares to play for Minnesota in 2015 without a reworked contract. The Eagles could’ve held their ground with Mathis, but it’s clear that Kelly prefers not to keep a player on the roster if he doesn’t view that player as a culture fit for his club.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:
- The NFLPA saw no wrongdoing on the Eagles‘ part regarding Mathis’ release, which was viewed as a contractual decision, so the team has been cleared, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network.
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun has the details on Matt Flynn‘s one-year contract with the Patriots, tweeting that the quarterback gets a $20K signing bonus and a $60K roster bonus on his minimum salary benefit deal.
- Former Seahawks offensive lineman Nate Isles is trying out for the Bills today, per Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Isles, who signed a futures contract with Seattle at season’s end, was cut by the team last month.
- Offensive linemen Seantrel Henderson and Chris Williams aren’t in attendance for the Bills‘ first day of mandatory minicamp, according to Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News (Twitter links).
- Linebacker Rolando McClain was one of the Cowboys‘ best bargains last season, and he could be again in 2015, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. As Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets, McClain has reported to Dallas’ minicamp after being absent from earlier offseason activities.
Bills Sign Andre Fluellen
The Bills have added some veteran depth on their defensive line, signing free agent defensive tackle Andre Fluellen, the team announced today in a press release. To make room on the roster for Fluellen, the team waived safety Deon Broomfield with an injured designation.
Fluellen, 30, has spent nearly all of his career with the Lions since being drafted by the team in the third round back in 2008. However, he has never played a significant role in Detroit, acting as a part-time contributor over the course of 77 career games (75 with Detroit). In 2014, Fluellen recorded 10 tackles, two sacks, and a fumble recovery in 183 defensive snaps.
With Rex Ryan in as head coach and Dennis Thurman as defensive coordinator, there’s no real coaching connection for Fluellen in Buffalo. Of course, Thurman replaced Jim Schwartz as DC earlier this year, and Schwartz had coached the veteran defender in Detroit.
As for Broomfield, he appears likely to be placed on the Bills’ injured reserve list if he clears waivers.