East Notes: Richardson, Dareus, Cowboys
When PFR’s Zach Links passed along word earlier this week that Sheldon Richardson was absent from the Jets‘ practices, he noted that the defensive lineman probably wasn’t seeking a new contract, since he’s not even eligible to negotiate a new deal until after the season. That still appears to the case, and Richardson took to Twitter today to respond to critics, writing that he has “a life outside of football” and simply wanted to spend a little more time with his family.
Here’s more from across the NFL’s two East divisions:
- While Richardson isn’t eligible for a new contract with the Jets, his fellow defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson is, and the addition of Leonard Williams in the draft has made that situation murky. Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap takes a closer look at Wilkerson’s contract, concluding that the standout defender would probably be able to earn a bigger contract outside of New York, and may end up being the odd man out with the Jets.
- Marcell Dareus of the Bills is another AFC East defensive lineman seeking a contract extension, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Buffalo still wants to lock up Dareus to a long-term deal, preferably before training camp gets underway. Rapoport echoes something I wrote yesterday, suggesting that Dareus’ one-game suspension won’t have an adverse effect on extension talks.
- We heard yesterday that the Cowboys worked out a number of free agent running backs, including Ben Tate, Felix Jones, and Daniel Thomas. According to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the club also auditioned wide receivers B.J. Cunningham, Kris Durham, and Tommy Streeter.
Bills’ Marcell Dareus Suspended One Game
The NFL announced today that All-Pro defensive tackle Marcell Dareus has been suspended for the first game of the 2015 season, as Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports tweets. Dareus’ suspension comes as a result of violating the league’s policy on substance abuse, relating to his 2014 arrest in Alabama. As Garafolo details (TwitLonger link), the standout Bills defender has issued a statement in the wake of the announcement:
“Last year, I made a mistake involving possession of a banned substance. The NFL’s discipline for this conduct is part of the drug policy, and I apologize to my family, my teammates, the entire Bills organization and Bills fans that I will miss one game as a result of my mistake. I will work intensely that week and will be extremely happy to contribute to a win in Week Two for the Bills.”
The timing isn’t great for Dareus, since he’s expected to try to hammer out a long-term contract extension with the Bills before the season gets underway. Still, the team likely anticipated that this suspension was coming, and GM Doug Whaley indicated earlier in the offseason that locking up Dareus to a long-term deal would be Buffalo’s No. 1 priority after the draft. This one-game ban shouldn’t change that.
If Dareus and the Bills aren’t able to reach an agreement on a multiyear contract before the season gets underway and his 2015 salary remains untouched, the suspension will cost him $474,118 in base salary. That’s 1/17th of his $8.06MM salary for the season.
AFC East Notes: Tannehill, Manuel, Bills
Until recently, the possibility of a contract extension didn’t seem all that likely to Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald writes.
“I didn’t know if it was going to happen or not,” Tannehill told reporters today . “I still had two years [on my contract], so it wasn’t something I was expecting. Fortunately enough, we made it happen.”
Eventually, a deal came together and the quarterback now has major financial security in the form of a six-year, $96MM deal. And, as Beasley notes, agent Pat Dye could argue that Tannehill’s new-money average from 2017 through 2020 is the sixth-highest in the league – with a bit of accounting magic. Here’s more from the AFC East..
- Bills offensive coordinator Greg Roman shot down speculation that quarterback EJ Manuel could be cut in training camp if he doesn’t show progress, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News tweets. Yesterday, Joe Buscaglia of WKBW reported that Manuel might not make the 53-man roster if he doesn’t take a step forward. The Florida State product had a promising rookie season in which he threw for 1,972 yards in ten starts but even then, his touchdown-to-interception ratio left much to be desired as he threw for 11 scores but gave up 9 picks. Last season, he lost the starting job after four games.
- Bills running backs coach Anthony Lynn is concerned about Bryce Brown‘s absence from voluntary workouts, Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News writes. That’s not great news for Brown, especially when considering all the backs in competition in Buffalo. “Bryce is doing what he has to do right now, taking care of his family in the offseason, but yes, it will set him back,” he said. “I mean, he’s five, six weeks behind everyone else. Once he gets here, it’s going to be hard to slow down and catch him up. That’s one of my biggest concerns, but, you know, he’s got the playbook. Hopefully he’s taking care of his business and hopefully he’ll come in in great shape and we’ll see what happens.”
- Patriots owner Robert Kraft surrendered in a battle he couldn’t win, Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe opines.
Bills Sign Second-Round Pick Ronald Darby
The Bills announced that they have signed cornerback Ronald Darby, their final unsigned draft pick, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets. Buffalo took Darby in the second round.
Darby was the Bills’ top pick in this year’s draft since they sent their 2015 first-round choice to the Browns in the Sammy Watkins trade of 2014. The Florida State product is a truly freakish athlete with a wildly impressive resume. In high school, he won the 100- and 200-meter dashes in the Maryland 3A state championships and was also part of the gold medal-winning USA medley relay team at the 2011 World Youth Championships in France.
Prior to the draft, Mike Mayock of the NFL Network praised Darby’s “world-class” speed but noted that he needs to learn not to grab his opponent going downfield.
Draft Signings: Steelers, Cardinals, Bills
The latest draft signings from rounds 3-7..
- The Steelers announced (on Twitter) that they have signed their third-round draft pick, wide receiver Sammie Coates. With the Auburn product in the fold, Pittsburgh has now signed seven of eight draft picks.
- The Cardinals signed third-round running back David Johnson and seventh-round tight end Gerald Christian, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com tweets. Only first-round tackle D.J. Humphries remains unsigned.
- The Bills signed sixth-round linebacker Tony Steward, Wilson tweets. Now, top pick Ronald Darby stands as the last one unsigned.
- The Browns announced that they have signed fourth-round wide receiver Vince Mayle and seventh-round linebacker Hayes Pullard, as Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald writes. Running back Duke Johnson, picked in the third round, and safety Ibraheim Campbell, taken in the fourth round, are the only Browns picks unsigned.
- The Jaguars announced that they have signed fifth-round pick Rashad Greene. The FSU product was widely projected as a second-to-third round pick and the Jags are hoping that they got themselves a steal.
AFC East Notes: Patriots, Manuel, Watson
As Robert Kraft and the Patriots look to fight the allegations against them, they have one significant problem, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets. The Pats are looking to poke holes in the veracity of the Ted Wells repot, but the Pats signed off on Wells and the investigation in January. It’s not as though Wells came into the mix as a total unknown, so the Patriots might have a hard time disputing the findings. This week, Kraft spoke with Peter King of The MMQB and sounded off on the DeflateGate controversy. There’s no question that the Pats owner is angry, but he’s facing an uphill battle when it comes to swaying public opinion. Here’s more from the AFC East..
- Right now, the Patriots‘ stable of cornerbacks is comprised of Malcolm Butler, Bradley Fletcher, Robert McClain, Logan Ryan, Justin Green, and Darryl Roberts. Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (on Twitter) opines that the Pats desperately need to add a veteran to the bunch. Earlier today, New England released cornerback Chimdi Chekwa, thinning out their group of cornerbacks even more.
- The Bills are at fault for drafting EJ Manuel in the first-round two years ago when he was really a third-round talent, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report tweets. Earlier today, we learned that Joe Buscaglia of WKBW has heard rumblings that Manuel might not make the Bills’ 53-man roster this year.
- Linebacker Dekoda Watson‘s deal with the Patriots calls for him to earn a $745K base salary on a one-year deal, Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com tweets. He’ll carry a cap charge of $585K and will not collect a signing bonus. Watson has spent time with the Bucs, Jaguars, and Cowboys over the course of his career and played in 70 games.
E.J. Manuel May Not Make Bills’ Roster
There has been a lot of talk about whether E.J. Manuel will be the Bills’ starting quarterback this season. However, it’s also not a given that he will make the 53-man roster, according to Joe Buscaglia of WKBW, who has come to this conclusion from talking with several people associated with the Bills.
From the outside it appears that veteran Matt Cassel has a good shot at winning the starting job, but it’s well known that coach Rex Ryan is also fond of the athletic Tyrod Taylor. Manuel lost the starting job after four games last season and he’s looking to prove himself again this summer, but he may be facing an uphill battle. Recently, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News opined that Manuel was likely to get traded if he didn’t win the No. 1 job.
Buscaglia writes that while Manuel is regarded as a solid teammate, the Bills are concerned about his on-the-field limitations. As it stands, Manuel simply isn’t accurate enough to play at a high level in the NFL. The Florida State product had a promising rookie season in which he threw for 1,972 yards in ten starts. Even then, his touchdown-to-interception ratio left much to be desired as he threw for 11 scores but gave up 9 picks.
The new regime in Buffalo might feel that Manuel can be saved with different guidance, but Ryan’s team might also decide to start fresh under center.
AFC East Notes: Bills, Manuel, Patriots
With his parents in and out of prison, Jets rookie Lorenzo Mauldin spent much of his adolescence in foster homes. That difficult experience helped mold the Louisville product into the player that he is today, Seth Walder of the Daily News writes.
“Going through the hard times that I’ve been through, I’m proud of myself to be able to say I stuck out and was able to succeed in life,” Mauldin said. “I’m here to say that I’ve persisted. I’m an overcomer.” Here’s more from the AFC East..
- Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News thinks that coach Rex Ryan and offensive coordinator Greg Roman are open-minded about having E.J. Manuel as the Bills‘ starting quarterback, but he also doesn’t see him sticking around if he doesn’t. Carucci envisions Buffalo trading Manuel if Matt Cassel or Tyrod Taylor wind up winning the starting job. Manuel lost the starting job after four games last season and he’s looking to prove himself again this summer.
- If the Bills end up dangling Manuel for a late-round pick in August, keep an eye on the Eagles as a potential trade partner, Chris Wesseling of NFL.com writes. After recruiting Manuel at Oregon, Chip Kelly told NFL Network in the lead-up to the 2013 Draft that the QB was a player he “didn’t get a chance to coach but would like a chance to coach.” Soon after, Manuel said that the Eagles “want me pretty bad.” Meanwhile, Wesseling feels that Taylor has a very real chance to win the starting job given Ryan’s affinity for him. The coach recently said that he tried to trade for Taylor when he was with the Jets.
- Michael Felger of CSNNE.com feels that it would behoove both the Patriots and the NFL to agree on some kind of compromise. However, both sides have dug themselves in to deep and he feels that such a deal is unlikely to happen.
Draft Signings: Browns, Bills, Titans
Here at PFR, we’re dedicating full posts to each player from rounds 1 and 2 that signs on with their respective teams. All of the other players, from rounds 3-7, are rounded up into posts such as these. The latest signings from rounds 1 and 2..
- The Browns announced that they have signed defensive back Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, a seventh round choice. The Browns have now agreed to deals with over half of their class, with seven of 12 players in the fold. That group includes second-round linebacker Nate Orchard and first-round defensive tackle Danny Shelton, but does not yet include the club’s other first-rounder, Cameron Erving.
- The Bills signed third-round guard John Miller and fifth-round running back Karlos Williams, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo news tweets. The Bills now have four draft picks signed and two to go.
- The Titans (on Twitter) announced that they have agreed to terms on deals with fourth-round fullback Jalston Fowler and fifth-round running back David Cobb. Fowler, an Alabama product, played in 53 games during his collegiate career. He recorded 113 carries for 738 yards and five touchdowns.
- The Broncos announced (on Twitter) that they have signed fifth-round pick Lorenzo Doss. The cornerback had three interceptions for Tulane in 2014. If both players make the roster, Doss will join former Tulane teammate Taurean Doss in the secondary. Denver tapped Nixon in the seventh round.
East Notes: Bills, Pats, Cowboys
The NFL may be a passing league, but Bills coach Rex Ryan is happy to buck convention with his signing of fullback John Conner, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News writes.
“A lot of teams don’t even have a fullback, and we’ve got two of them,” Ryan said Wednesday, after the team announced it had signed Conner as a free agent. “Two of the best fullbacks in the league are on our football team. So I think that may tell you a little bit about the type of style of football that we want to play.”
For his part, Conner acknowledges that making a team as a backup fullback won’t be easy, but he feels his kick-coverage prowess gives him a good chance. More from the AFC and NFC East..
- The research firm hired by the NFL in the Patriots’ DeflateGate investigation has a history of conflict-of-interest allegations, Mark Daniels of The Providence Journal writes. In the Wells report, Exponent shut down the notion that weather could have been the sole reason for the low inflation levels of the Patriots’ game balls. In the past, the company has been accused of of being a hired gun that skews its findings to suit big-business clients. In 2010, Exponent was widely criticized for finding that second-hand smoke does not cause cancer. In 2009, the firm found that Chevron’s dumping of toxic chemicals in Ecuador did not cause cancer and the study did not disclose that a member of Chevron’s board of directors was also the single largest shareholder in Exponent.
- Earlier today, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that addressing Brandon Carr‘s contract is a priority for him. The cornerback, meanwhile, says he wants to stay put in Dallas, David Moore of The Dallas Morning News writes. “I’m a Cowboy. I love being a Cowboy. As long as I’m in this building I’m going to give it my all. I love playing the game of football,” Carr said. Carr is in the middle of a five-year, $50MM contract and has previously refused to accept a salary cut.
- Despite losing DeMarco Murray, Jones says the Cowboys have a better run game than they did last year, Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News writes. As it stands, Dallas is prepared to enter the season with a running back stable of Darren McFadden, Joseph Randle, Lance Dunbar, and Ryan Williams. The Cowboys haven’t closed the door on adding another running back, but it also sounds like they’re content to roll with what they have.
- WEEI.com’s John Tomase wonders if the Patriots are hurting their brand by challenging the NFL.