AFC East Notes: Fins, Tannehill, Bradham, Jets
The Dolphins will work this spring on attempting to finalize a long-term contract extension for quarterback Ryan Tannehill, but if the two sides don’t reach an agreement, Miami will be comfortable exercising Tannehill’s fifth-year option for the 2016 season, writes Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
That option would pay Tannehill $16.155MM, and would give the Dolphins a little more time to work something out with the signal-caller. However, the team may prefer to get a deal done sooner rather than later in order to ensure that Tannehill’s 2016 cap number isn’t quite so high.
Let’s round up a few more items from around the AFC East, including a couple more Dolphins notes….
- The Dolphins don’t have plans to add a guard in free agency or in the first couple rounds of the draft, per Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, who passes along some quotes from executive VP of football operations Mike Tannenbaum on the subject. The club currently plans to have Billy Turner at one guard spot, with Dallas Thomas getting the opportunity to win the other starting job.
- Tannenbaum also spoke to Salguero about why the Dolphins were comfortable swapping out Mike Wallace for Kenny Stills, even though it meant essentially giving up a third-round pick in exchange for a fifth-rounder.
- The Bills are expected to discuss a potential contract extension for linebacker Nigel Bradham this week, sources tell Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Bradham, who established new career highs with 104 tackles, a pair of forced fumbles, and seven passes defended, is eligible for an extension on his rookie deal for the first time this offseason, and hired Drew Rosenhaus as his new agent back in January. Both Rosenhaus and Bills negotiator Jim Overdorf are in attendance at the annual league meetings in Arizona.
- Former Giants linebacker Spencer Paysinger could become the latest free agent to make the move from one New York team to the other. According to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (Twitter links), Paysinger is scheduled to visit the Jets tomorrow.
AFC Notes: Clay, Browns, Worilds, Wilfork
One of the offseason’s biggest winners, Charles Clay reportedly twice received offers worth more in 2015 than he was asking for from the Dolphins, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports.
Initially, Clay only sought $6.8MM per year from the Dolphins when the sides were negotiating, but Clay’s would-be salary for this season rose to $7MM when the Dolphins placed the transition tag on their developing tight end. Clay’s initial asking price represented the logic behind Miami opting to place the lesser-used transition tag on Clay as opposed to the franchise tag ($8.2MM for tight ends this year), per Salguero. This would’ve forced the Bills to part with two first-round draft picks if they matched the offer and ultimately kept Clay in Miami.
The Bills will now pay Clay, who signed a five-year contract worth $38MM, more than any tight end over the next two seasons ($11.5MM per season in ’15 and ’16) due to the frontloaded deal.
- The Browns are the frontrunners to be the subject of this season’s Hard Knocks, reports Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News reports on Twitter. This would mark the first such time the Browns, who finished 7-9 last season, would appear on the HBO training camp show.
- Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said prior to Jason Worilds‘ retirement he was not in the Steelers’ plans, as the team thought the improving linebacker would receive an offer they weren’t prepared to match, reports Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via Twitter.
- Signing DeAngelo Williams required the Steelers’ brass to take a “little leap of faith” after what happened regarding LeGarrette Blount‘s abrupt midseason exit, Colbert said (via ESPN’s Scott Brown on Twitter). Coming off a career-worst season and entering his age-32 campaign, Williams received a key endorsement from quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner, who recruited and coached the running back when he was on staff at Memphis in the early 2000s (Twitter link).
- Colbert told Brown the Steelers will pursue cornerbacks in the draft and that three of Pittsburgh’s four starting linebacker positions, excluding the inside backer spot manned by Lawrence Timmons, are open competitions.
- Texans owner Bob McNair wanted to sign Vince Wilfork when he became a free agent in 2010, reports Tom Curran of CSN New England. Instead, Wilfork re-signed with the Patriots on a five-year, $40MM contract — then a league-high pact for defensive tackles. McNair received a slightly lesser version of the run-stuffing tackle this year, with the now-33-year-old signing for $9MM across two years.
- Elite edge-rushing prospect Randy Gregory will visit the Ravens, whom he already met with at the NFL Scouting Combine, according to the Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson.
- Former Titans and Ravens linebacker Brandon Copeland participated in Sunday’s inaugural Veteran Combine and caught the eye of several teams, per Wilson on Twitter. Copeland, who will be 24 in July, told Wilson he spoke with the Chiefs, Titans, Colts, Bengals, Giants and Eagles after a workout that he said included a 4.52-second 40-yard dash. The 6-foot-3, 260-pound linebacker went undrafted out of Pennsylvania and appeared on the Ravens and Titans rosters in 2013 but did not accrue any statistics.
Bills Rework Kyle Williams’ Contract
MARCH 21: Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun has released the full details of Williams’ contract (Twitter link). Williams will get $4.5MM in bonus money and a $4.5MM base salary in 2015, per Wilson. His base salaries in 2016 and 2017 will be $6MM and $6.3MM, respectively. He’ll also receive a $500,000 bonus on the fifth day of the league year in both ’16 and ’17.
MARCH 17: According to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the new year added to Williams’ contract is a “dummy” year for cap purposes and is voidable, so it was more of a restructuring than an extension by the Bills.
MARCH 11: Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams wasn’t scheduled to hit the open market until after the 2016 season, but that didn’t stop the team from working out a contract extension with him today. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Bills reached an agreement with Williams on a one-year, $10.5MM extension, ensuring that the standout defensive lineman remains under contract through the 2017 season.
While the club will still eventually need to work out a deal with its other star defensive tackle, Marcell Dareus, Williams’ new contract ensures that he, Mario Williams, and Jerry Hughes are all locked up through at least 2017. Hughes re-signed with the Bills earlier this week, agreeing to a five-year deal that keeps him under contract through 2019, and ensuring that one of the league’s most dangerous defensive lines remains intact.
Given the lack of urgency for a new deal for Williams, the Bills may have ulterior motives for working something out with the veteran defensive tackle. While we’ll have to wait for the specifics, the extension could help lower Williams’ $6.4MM cap hit for 2015, which would create additional flexibility for the team to pursue other players.
Buffalo is said to be making a push to sign pass catchers Charles Clay and Percy Harvin.
Percy Harvin Contract Details Released
Percy Harvin and the Bills have agreed to a deal that will bring the electrifying playmaker to Buffalo in 2015.
What was thought to be a one-year contract is actually three years, with the second and third years voidable. His base salaries will be $2.9MM, $9MM, and $9MM over the three years, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN (via Twitter). His cap numbers in those three years will be $4MM, $10MM, and $10MM (via Twitter).
The structure of the contract helps the Bills fit him in the cap in 2015, but it also means he will likely end the season as a free agent once again (via Twitter). The team can move on from Harvin anytime after this season with no deadline to make that decision and no money owed to the receiver.
Rodak adds that the team currently has just shy of $12MM in cap room left this offseason according to the NFLPA, but that number does not yet included the money they will have to pay to Charles Clay (via Twitter).
AFC East Links: McCoy, Patriots, Dolphins
One of the more surprising offseason moves has been the LeSean McCoy trade. The running back was traded to the Bills earlier in the month, and the two sides soon came to an agreement on an extension. Meanwhile, the Eagles replaced McCoy with a pair of big names, DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews.
McCoy did not mince words when he was asked about the Eagles‘ offseason strategy. In fact, while appearing on the The Rich Eisen Show, the 26-year-old touched on Chip Kelly‘s willingness to pay new running backs, but not one of their stars (via Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com):
“I thought about that a little bit,” he said. “I didn’t understand it. I should say that. And Chip I think is a really good coach. I think this is something different for him kind of managing both, from being a coach to now kind of managing the team as far as the players that they get and they pay.
“I saw that they originally were trying to get Frank Gore, and he backed out. So then when they got DeMarco and they got Ryan Mathews, I thought it was like a panic move. With that media in Philadelphia, they can get tough on you. So I guess that was just the way to make it right. I don’t know. I can’t really answer it. They took two backs to replace one. I think DeMarco’s a hell of a back. I think he’ll do a good job there. I’m not sure how that went.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes from the AFC East…
- Defensive end Jabaal Sheard has plenty of reasons to be excited. Not only did he sign a two-year, $11MM contract with the Patriots, but he also went from a non-playoff team to a Super Bowl contender. “Coming from a not-so-good program to a great program that has been winning and doing well, I’ve just been excited,” Sheard told Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “I want to win in the league, and I want to be part of a great organization. That was a big part of me signing.”
- Another new member of the Patriots, tight end Scott Chandler, is thrilled about the opportunity to compete for a championship. “I’ve been playing for a while, and I wanted to be a part of an organization that has a pretty good chance to win,” said Chandler (via Howe). “Mr. (Robert) Kraft and coach Belichick have done an amazing job of not only creating that but sustaining it for a long period of time. I’m looking forward to going into this year and doing whatever I can to be a part of that.”
- Dolphins safety Louis Delmas re-signed with the organization yesterday, and the 27-year-old revealed that he’s quickly recovering from his season-ending ACL tear. “The knee is great,” Delmas said (via ESPN.com’s James Walker). “My doctors and my training staff have been doing a great job of managing me and making sure I’m doing everything protocol-wise to be able to play the first game of the season…I definitely know that I will be ready for the first game of the season.”
East Notes: Bills, Gresham, Barwin, Scandrick
As the working week winds down, let’s round up a handful of Friday updates out of the NFL’s two East divisions….
- Charles Clay was arguably the Bills‘ top target in free agency this month, and the team made sure that they landed him by signing him to an offer sheet that the Dolphins were unwilling to match. However, Clay wasn’t the only tight end the team was considering. According to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News, the Bills were “giving serious thought” to signing Jermaine Gresham before he underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc. Per Carucci’s source, the club would even have been willing to add both Clay and Gresham to the roster, if the former Bengal had been healthy.
- Speaking to Howard Eskin on 94WIP in Philadelphia, outside linebacker Connor Barwin, who just received a new deal from the Eagles, said he’d like to play out the rest of his career in Philadelphia. Barwin estimated that he has another “four to six” years left in the NFL, as Andrew Porter of CBS Philly details.
- Orlando Scandrick, the Cowboys‘ top cornerback, is scheduled to make just $10.5MM over the next four seasons, prompting Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com to wonder if the team should address Scandrick’s contract. As a point of comparison, Archer focuses on Keenan Lewis‘ situation in New Orleans, where the Saints didn’t increase Lewis’ overall pay, but guaranteed a good chunk of his salary and improved his cash flow.
- Earlier this afternoon, the Dolphins re-signed safety Louis Delmas and running back LaMichael James.
Bills Sign Charles Clay
4:13pm: After the Dolphins formally declared their intention not to match Buffalo’s offer sheet, the Bills have officially announced the signing of Clay.
3:08pm: According to James Walker of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the paperwork has officially been filed by the Dolphins to the NFL, confirming their decision and making Clay a Bill.
10:24am: The Dolphins have decided not to match the Bills’ offer sheet for tight end Charles Clay, according to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). While the team has a few more days to change its mind, Miami is moving on, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), paving the way for Clay to become a member of the Bills.
Clay, who turned 26 last month, saw his numbers dip a little in 2014 after he set career highs with 69 receptions, 759 yards, and three touchdowns in his breakout 2013 season. Still, the Dolphins liked him enough to make him their transition player, assigning him a one-year tender worth $7.071MM.
The transition tag essentially makes a free agent restricted, allowing his current team to match any offer sheet from a rival suitor. However, Miami won’t receive any compensation for losing him now that the team has decided not to match Buffalo’s offer.
That Bills’ offer was a massive one — Buffalo will lock up Clay for five years at a price tag of $38MM, and the deal includes more than $20MM in guaranteed money, according to reports. The former sixth-round pick is the latest offensive weapon to join Rex Ryan in Western New York, following recent additions LeSean McCoy and Percy Harvin to the Bills.
As for the Dolphins, while they lose Clay, they also free up some cap space by removing his $7MM+ transition offer from their books. The team has also lined up a replacement already, signing Jordan Cameron last week to join Dion Sims at the tight end position.
Extra Points: 49ers, Hardy, Peterson, Rivers
49ers CEO Jed York appeared on Bloomberg Television on Tuesday to discuss a number of different topics, including the surprise retirement of Chris Borland (via SFGate.com):
“We respect it, and I love Chris. He’s a great kid. And it’s certainly a surprise to us and I think to some of his teammates. But you have to respect the decision. If he fears for his health and safety going forward, I don’t ever want somebody to go out there and do something that they’re not comfortable doing. And I would never try to talk somebody out of retirement. I know it wasn’t an easy decision for him, but we respect him and we wish him the best.”
Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…
- Greg Hardy spurned the Buccaneers for the Cowboys earlier today, but as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times writes, it may have been the organization that rejected the player. “At the end of the day, we didn’t feel good about it,” said general manager Jason Licht.
- Count Larry Fitzgerald among those who’d like to see Adrian Peterson wearing a Cardinals jersey next season. The veteran wideout told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that adding the All-Pro running back would be a “game-changer” for the organization. “Obviously, he’s an MVP-caliber player,” Fitzgerald said. “Everybody knows that. Any team he ends up with — or if he stays with the Vikings — is going to have a great back. If he was to come play here, it would obviously mean a tremendous amount for our ballclub.”
- Following news that Philip Rivers wouldn’t consider a new deal with the Chargers until the end of the 2015 season, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport says the organization has no intention of letting the quarterback depart (via Around The NFL on Twitter). Rapoport notes (on Twitter) that both sides have plenty of leverage during negotiations.
- CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweets that the Bills actually signed wideout Percy Harvin to a three-year, $24MM deal, but the contract voids to a one-year, $6MM pact. As WGR550’s Joe Buscaglia points out on Twitter, this saves the organization $2MM in 2015 cap through “signing bonus proration,” meaning the player’s cap hit for this season will be $4MM as opposed to $6MM. Furthermore, if the Bills decide to void the contract following 2015 (which they’re expected to do), they’ll get hit with $2MM in dead money.
Jermaine Gresham To Undergo Back Surgery
Free agent tight end Jermaine Gresham was diagnosed with a herniated disc earlier today, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the former Bengals weapon is scheduled for back surgery on Thursday. While Rapoport notes that the tight end will determine his timetable following the surgery, previous reports estimated that Gresham would be ready for training camp.
The 26-year-old was certainly one of the more intriguing options on the free agent market, but his subpar 2014 campaign didn’t earn him a place on Luke Adams’ list of the top 50 free agents. He finished last season with 62 catches for 460 yards and five touchdowns, earning him a negative rating from Pro Football Focus (subscription required). However, it was a step up from his performance in 2013 and 2012, when PFF rated him as one of the two worst tight ends in the entire league.
The former first-round pick had previously met with the Raiders, but as of last week, the talks were reportedly “dead.” Meanwhile, the Browns had shown interest in Gresham, while the Bills were also rumored to be keeping an eye on the two-time Pro Bowler.
AFC East Notes: Clay, Jets, Pats
The Bills have lost sight of value with their offer sheet to Dolphins tight end Charles Clay, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com writes. The Bills can afford the deal under the 2015 cap and they should benefit from the projected growth of the NFL’s cap over the next several years, but it will be difficult for Clay to live up to that massive five-year, $38MM pact. Here’s more from the AFC East..
- If the Bills really want Clay, they should give him the ability to void his contract in 2017 since it’d be difficult to picture the Dolphins matching that, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap tweets.
- James Walker of ESPN.com says the Dolphins should just let Clay walk. Clay is good, but not elite, and Miami already has an in-house replacement ready in the newly-acquired Jordan Cameron.
- Inside linebacker Jamari Lattimore is visiting with the Jets, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Lattimore, a former UDFA, has spent all four years of his career with the Packers. Over the last two seasons, Lattimore has racked up 74 tackles to go with two sacks and an interception.
- Ravens free agent defensive end Lawrence Guy is scheduled to visit the Jets on Thursday, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. Guy was claimed off waivers last season after being cut by the Chargers early in the 2014 season. The 6-foot-4, 318-pounder had 16 tackles in eleven games and one start last season as he emerged as a solid rotational guy for Baltimore.
- The Jets also announced that Giants free agent offensive lineman James Brewer will be visiting, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter).