NFC Links: Ball, McClain, Panthers, Cardinals
Veteran cornerback Alan Ball rejected the Panthers offer in free agency, eventually opting to sign with the Bears. The former seventh-round pick discussed his decision to join Chicago with Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune:
“I just see opportunity in a new defense that is coming in. I’ve watched Vic [Fangio]’s defense in the past and what he does for his players and the situations he puts them in. You have to be excited about that. [Ed] Donatell does a good job with players as well and John Fox, no matter who you ask, they say the same thing about him as a head coach.
“I like the whole situation with those guys after being around them and (general manager) Ryan Pace. It’s good energy and it is something to be excited about. I don’t want to talk numbers. The Bears were competitive. The reason I made the decision overall was because of fit.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFC…
- Despite previous reports the the Cowboys wanted to bring back linebacker Rolando McClain, Bob Sturm of the Dallas Morning News says the two sides are very far apart. Following the deals signed by linebackers Bruce Carter and Justin Durant, Sturm concludes that it’s a “buyer’s market.” Our own Luke Adams analyzed McClain’s free agent stock yesterday.
- Free agent offensive lineman Ben Ijalana visited the Panthers on Friday, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The former second-round pick has played only seven games since joining the NFL in 2011.
- An interesting detail on Alameda Ta’amu‘s contract with the Cardinals (via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com): the nose tackle’s $216K workout bonus is based on the player making weight. The 24-year-old will make $36K for making weight at each of his six weigh-ins.
Extra Points: Pagano, Bradford, Broncos
Colts head coach Chuck Pagano is entering the final year of his contract and, despite news this week that the team isn’t planning to extend him prior to the 2015 campaign, the 54-year-old isn’t concerned about his long-term status. Pagano issued a statement Friday that expressed his excitement about “coaching the Colts this season and for many years to come,” tweeted Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.
More on Pagano and the rest of the NFL:
- Pagano shouldn’t be coaching for his job in 2015, barring a disastrous season, writes Mike Chappell of RTV6. Chappell cites the Colts’ progress under Pagano, who took over a team that went 2-14 in 2011 and has since coached it to three straight playoff appearances, as a reason to retain him long term. The Pagano-led Colts have gone 33-13 in the regular season during his tenure, giving them the NFL’s fourth-best record in that time span.
- Newly acquired Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford is working hard with center Jason Kelce to learn the team’s offense, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. McLane notes that Bradford had accuracy issues during his time with the Rams, but that aspect of his game could improve in Eagles coach Chip Kelly’s system. Both Nick Foles, whom Philly traded for Bradford, and Mark Sanchez posted career-best completion percentages under Kelly.
- Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak acknowledged that the team needs to improve its offensive line, per Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post. “Right tackle, we’ve got some issues,” said Kubiak. “We have to get better up front.” The Broncos will presumably attempt to upgrade right tackle via the draft, in which they have the 28th overall pick. Renck cautions that it’s no sure thing a rookie will step in and succeed as a starter, however.
- The Panthers signed free agent offensive tackle Michael Oher earlier this month and added fellow tackle Jonathan Martin on Friday. Given those acquisitions, Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer tweeted doubt that Carolina will use its first-round pick in this year’s draft on an O-lineman. The Panthers could instead target a receiver, running back or edge rusher with the 25th overall selection, according to Person.
Draft Notes: Gregory, Mariota, Flowers, Collins
News broke earlier this week that Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory failed a drug test at last month’s combine, but there’s still no shortage of interest in the highly touted 22-year-old as the NFL draft approaches. According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.Net (Twitter link), almost a half-dozen new teams have scheduled visits with Gregory since finding out about his failed drug test. Pauline names the Chargers and Steelers as a couple of clubs that will meet with Gregory, whom draft experts regard as a first-round talent.
Here’s more on several draft prospects and the teams interested in their services:
- Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes that Jets brass will head to Oregon on Saturday to work out quarterback Marcus Mariota. Representing the Jets will be general manager Mike Maccagnan, head coach Todd Bowles, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, quarterbacks coach Kevin Patullo, director of college scouting Rex Hogan and director of player personnel Brian Heimerdinger. The Jets have the sixth overall selection in the draft and are in need of a franchise quarterback, but it’s not expected that Mariota will fall to their pick.
- Miami’s Ereck Flowers, who might be the first offensive tackle taken in this year’s draft, will visit the Buccaneers and Panthers, per Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com. Campbell writes that “all four NFC South teams are showing significant interest” in Flowers, who will also powwow with the Browns, Colts and Chargers.
- Michael DiRocco of ESPN tweets that LSU cornerback Jalen Collins will meet with the Jaguars.
- The Dolphins will host Michigan linebacker Jake Ryan on April 2, according to ESPN’s James Walker.
- Former Missouri wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham will visit the Titans sometime in April, Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com reports.
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the Browns will meet with Indiana center Collin Rahrig prior to his Pro Day workout.
Panthers Claim Jonathan Martin Off Waivers
A day after he was cut by the 49ers, offensive tackle Jonathan Martin will be heading to a new team rather than reaching the free agent market. According to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter), the Panthers have claimed Martin off waivers from San Francisco.
Martin, who was at the center of the Dolphins’ bullying scandal in 2013, reportedly receiving verbal abuse from Richie Incognito and others, was sent to the 49ers in a trade last March. Although he started nine games last season at right tackle for San Francisco, Martin wasn’t particularly effective, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). PFF graded Martin as a below-average run blocker and pass blocker, placing him 60th out of 84 qualified offensive tackles.
With Jim Harbaugh, who coached Martin at Stanford, no longer in the picture for the Niners, the team decided to move on from the young tackle as well. As he enters the final year of his rookie contract, Martin is set to earn $1.042MM for the 2015 season. The Panthers will take on that salary by claiming him, though it’s not guaranteed.
The offensive line was an area of concern for the Panthers heading into the offseason after the team shuffled a number of players in and out of the lineup last year, receiving underwhelming production from starting left tackle Byron Bell. Free agent signee Michael Oher is currently penciled in as Carolina’s left tackle for 2015, so Martin could compete for playing time on the right side, or serve as a swing tackle for the team. The Panthers will likely add a lineman or two in the draft as well.
Panthers Sign Jarrett Boykin
The Panthers have made an addition to their wide receiving corps, signing Jarrett Boykin, the team announced today in a press release. According to the club, it’s a one-year contract for the former Packer.
Boykin, 25, had a productive run during the 2013 season when Green Bay’s receiving depth was hit hard by injuries. Subbing in for Randall Cobb and other sidelined players, Boykin accumulated 49 receptions for 681 yards and three touchdowns. However, he returned to a very part-time role in 2014, catching just three balls on the year. At season’s end, the Packers opted not to assign him an RFA tender, making him an unrestricted free agent.
For the Panthers, Boykin joins a group of receivers led by Kelvin Benjamin. While the Panthers figure to address the position in the draft, Boykin and former second-round pick Stephen Hill could provide some potential upside.
NFC South Notes: Falcons, Quinn, Newton, Hill
The Falcons were told at this week’s owners meetings that they will face “severe” discipline for violating an NFL policy, according to ESPN. The Falcons were investigated for piping artificial crowd noise into the Georgia Dome over the last two seasons, which team owner Arthur Blank acknowledged in February, and the severity of their punishment will be announced next week. Per ESPN, the Falcons could face “a hefty fine, a loss of a draft pick or picks, or other penalties,” though Blank and the team have been fully cooperative in the league’s investigation.
“We have great respect for the shield and the integrity of the game, the integrity of competition,” said Blank.
Here’s more on the Falcons and one of their NFC South rivals:
- The Falcons are done free agency shopping after adding linebackers Brooks Reed and Justin Durant, defensive end Adrian Clayborn, and tight ends Jacob Tamme and Tony Moeaki, among others, this offseason. They will now turn their attention toward the upcoming draft, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We’re always looking,” new head coach Dan Quinn said in regards to adding more free agents, but he also stated that “the focus has kind of shifted to the draft.”
- Quinn shot down the notion that the Falcons recently discussed a trade with the Seahawks for defensive end Michael Bennett, reports Ledbetter. “I don’t know where that story came from,” said Quinn. “It was just one of those random things that should have been mark down as ‘nothing.’ He’s a great player, but there have been no talks at all.” Quinn coordinated Seattle’s defense from 2013-14, during which time Bennett combined for 15.5 sacks.
- Panthers head coach Ron Rivera told reporters he’s confident that the team and Cam Newton will work toward a new contract, adding that he’d like to see it get done prior to the season (Twitter links via Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer and ESPN.com’s David Newton). Newton is entering the final year of his deal.
- Rivera also said Wednesday that having Stephen Hill in the mix takes some pressure off the Panthers when it comes to drafting a wide receiver, per David Newton (via Twitter). Despite Rivera’s endorsement, Hill hasn’t shown himself to be much of a threat since entering the league in 2012. He caught a combined 45 passes between 2012-13 for the Jets and spent last season on the Panthers’ practice squad. It’s tough to imagine his presence will heavily influence the Panthers come draft time.
NFL Adjusts 2015 Compensatory Picks
No one outside of the NFL quite has a full handle on the formula the league uses to determine the 32 compensatory draft picks that are handed out on an annual basis. And as it turns out, the formula is complicated enough that even the NFL itself made a few errors when it announced 2015’s compensatory picks earlier this week.
While the majority of this year’s picks remain unchanged, the Panthers, Broncos, and Steelers were all affected by today’s changes. Here are the adjustments made by the league:
- Panthers‘ sixth-round pick (No. 213) becomes fifth-round pick (No. 174), per Bryan Strickland of Panthers.com (via Twitter).
- Broncos‘ sixth-round pick (No. 208) becomes seventh-round pick (No. 250), per Mike Klis of the Denver Post (via Twitter).
- Steelers‘ seventh-round pick (No. 252) becomes sixth-round pick (No. 212), per the team (via Twitter).
While those are the only picks to undergo significant changes, many other fifth-, sixth-, and seventh-round picks will move up or down a spot, based on these adjustments.
You can view the complete draft order for 2015, which has been updated to reflect today’s news, right here. We also have an updated breakdown of 2015’s picks by team.
Extra Points: Carr, Cowboys, Green, Spikes
Let’s round up some assorted items from around the NFL…
- Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said the club isn’t certain it will ask cornerback Brandon Carr to take a pay cut, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star Telegram (Twitter link). Jones adds that Dallas has accounted for Carr’s salary in its books, and discussions are still ongoing. For his part, Carr has indicated that he is not amenable to a pay reduction.
- Florida offensive lineman Chaz Green will have a full schedule, as he has visits set up with the Buccaneers, Panthers, Falcons, Texans, Cowboys, Bills, Saints, and Chargers, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net.
- The Vikings’ signing of Casey Matthews probably signals the end of their interest in Brandon Spikes, says Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (Twitter link). Minnesota was only “lukewarm” on Spikes as it was, and Wolfson hears that Spikes is asking for to much money.
- Western Oregon receiver Tyrell Williams already had a workout with the Patriots, and he also has a private workout with the Lions lined up, per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
- In his review of free agency, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap analyzes the 10 worst contracts handed out during the offseason, listing Ndamukong Suh and Byron Maxwell‘s deals Nos. one and two, respectively.
- Also at Over the Cap, Bryce Johnston uses his expected contract value metric to determine which contracts are the most likely to be “one-and-done,” with Tramon Williams (Browns) and Andre Johnson (Colts) topping the list.
South Notes: Titans, Spencer, Saints, Panthers
With the Buccaneers viewed as very likely to draft Jameis Winston first overall next month, the Titans‘ pick at No. 2 is a big one, since it’s not clear whether Tennessee will opt for quarterback Marcus Mariota or select a defender.
Asked today about the Mariota possibility, Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt told reporters, including Jim Corbett of USA Today (Twitter link) that “if he comes to us at No. 2, he’s definitely going to be the Day One starter.” As Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports tweets, Whisenhunt later clarified that he meant if his team were to draft a quarterback second overall, it would be with the expectation that the player would start immediately.
Whisenhunt’s comments don’t necessarily signal that Tennessee is leaning toward the Oregon signal-caller, but the door certainly doesn’t seem closed on that outcome either. Here are a few more notes from around the NFL’s two South divisions:
- The latest report on the possibility of a Titans sale has led to the latest round of denials from the organization. This time, it’s interim president Steve Underwood saying that ownership is committed to the team, and doesn’t intend to field offers on the franchise, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Per Wyatt, Tommy Smith‘s replacement also made it clear that he has confidence in Whisenhunt and GM Ruston Webster.
- Former Cowboys DE/OLB Anthony Spencer is visiting New Orleans to meet with the Saints, per Kristian Garic of WWL 870 (via Twitter). Spencer, who has spent all eight years of his NFL career with Dallas, hasn’t started a game since his Pro Bowl season in 2012, but has a history with Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.
- Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman said today that linebacker Thomas Davis will be next in line for a contract extension, and also suggested that wide receiver Greg Jennings and cornerback Alan Ball are still in play for Carolina — both players have drawn interest from other teams as well, and are taking their time to make decisions.
- Texans head coach Bill O’Brien identified safety and offensive line as two spots at which he wants to improve his team’s depth, adding that he’d like to upgrade the club’s return game as well (Twitter link via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle).
Latest On Fifth-Year Option Decisions
Before May 3, NFL teams will have to make decisions on 2012’s first-round draftees. Assuming those players are still on their rookie contracts and haven’t been waived since being drafted, they have fifth-year options on their deals for the 2016 season.
The salaries for those team options are determined by position, with the top 10 draftees being paid amounts equal to 2015’s transition tag figures. So quarterbacks like Andrew Luck and Ryan Tannehill will be in line for ’16 salaries of $16.155MM if and when their options are picked up.
Although the deadline to exercise those options is still weeks away, several decision-makers have weighed in at this week’s league meetings in Arizona, discussing what they intend to do. Here’s the latest:
- Unsurprisingly, Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman confirmed that he’ll exercise the $11.058MM option for 2016 on linebacker Luke Kuechly, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. “I’d have to be brain-dead not to,” Gettleman said.
- The Bills will be picking up their fifth-year option on cornerback Stephon Gilmore, general manager Doug Whaley tells Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Since Gilmore was the 10th overall pick in 2012, his option for the 2016 season will be worth $11.082MM.
- Like Luck and Tannehill, Robert Griffin III‘s option for 2016 would be worth $16.155MM. Washington GM Scot McCloughan said today that the team hasn’t yet made a decision on that option, according to Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com (via Twitter). The option salaries are only guaranteed for injury, so Washington could theoretically pick up RGIII’s option, then cut him before the 2016 league year if he doesn’t play well this season.
- The Lions remain undecided on whether or not they’ll pick up Riley Reiff‘s fifth-year option for 2016, GM Martin Mayhew told reporters on Monday, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Reiff has been very good at left tackle for Detroit over the last couple seasons, so it seems extremely unlikely that the team would turn down his option. Still, the Lions unexpectedly declined to pick up Nick Fairley‘s fifth-year option a year ago, so it’s not a lock yet.