NFC Notes: Bucs, Panthers, Saints, Cutler
Wide receiver Louis Murphy agreed to a three-year extension with the Buccaneers yesterday, and the 27-year-old is thrilled to be sticking around Tampa. The former fourth-rounder said as much to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times:
“I believe in this team, I believe in coach Lovie (Smith), I believe in the organization. I believe in all the guys in that locker room, regardless of what the record says. I believe we’re going to be contenders in the future and I want to be a part of it. I want to see it turn around.”
Murphy, who currently has 31 catches for 380 yards and a pair of scores, reflected on his tumultuous tenure with the Raiders, Panthers and Giants:
“My dad always told me growing up when preparation and opportunity meets, it equals success. So this year, I wrote it on my bathroom wall. Early on in the game, you can drop a ball and say, ‘Oh, I’ll get another chance at this.’ But with the road that I’ve taken and the road I’ve had to go through, I said, ‘No, I’m not going to let anything slip through the cracks.’ And that’s the mind-set I’m going to keep from here on out.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes out of the NFC…
- ESPN.com’s David Newton is skeptical about the return of two key Panthers (on Twitter): running back DeAngelo Williams and defensive end Greg Hardy.
- Saints wideout Marques Colston isn’t thinking about next season. When asked by Nick Underhill of The New Orleans Advocate whether he’s consider returning for less money, the receiver responded that he’d cross that bridge when he comes to it (Twitter link).
- The Saints will enter the offseason over the salary cap, but veteran guard Jahri Evans isn’t worried about his team’s predicament. “(The front office) will figure a way to figure it out. That’s what those guys get paid to do,” he told Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com. “I don’t see myself going anywhere.”
- The Giants have yet to reach out to defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul regarding an extension, tweets ESPN’s Josina Anderson. The lack of communication is not a concern, however, and Anderson notes that the team will start the process following the season.
- If one head coach could help turn around the play of Jay Cutler, ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio believes it would be the man who drafted him: Mike Shanahan. Of course, that would depend on the Bears keeping the embattled quarterback and not shipping him off to another franchise.
Bears Sign Roberto Garza To Extension
1:49pm: The deal is worth $1.5MM in total, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
1:10pm: The Bears announced that they have signed veteran center Roberto Garza to a one-year extension. Garza was slated to hit the open market this offseason after playing on a one-year deal this season.
Garza told reporters, including Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter), that the extension materialized on Christmas. “When you’re my age, there’s not much negotiation,” the 35-year-old center said. Garza credited former Bears linemen Olin Kreutz, James “Big Cat” Williams, and Taylor Boggs for putting him on the right path last offseason to get stronger for 2014, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). Earlier this year, Garza said he wasn’t sure whether he’d want to return for a 15th season. But he worked with a power lifter and physical therapist in South Carolina in the offseason, and said he feels as strong as he ever has, according to Patrick Finley of the Sun-Times.
The deal in and of itself might not be earth-shattering, but it is noteworthy that GM Phil Emery is still making these decisions. From the outside, that could be a sign that Emery will continue in his role in 2015.
Next year will be Garza’s 15th in the NFL and his eleventh with the Bears.
NFC Links: Peppers, Long, McCoy
If you’ve been following our site, you’ll know that there’s been plenty of rumblings surrounding the future of 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh. Those rumors could certainly wear on a person, but the coach said that he’s ignored the constant whispers. He gave his strategy to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com:
“The interesting thing is if you don’t look at the Internet and you don’t watch TV, you really do not know that it’s going on. That has been exactly what I have done. Put the focus on the week of preparation, put the focus on the players and the coaches and what we are trying to get done here. It works if you really don’t pick up.
“On the way home, you don’t turn on the talk radio and you don’t look at the Internet, you can be completely unaware that anything is swirling. I walk by people and I see their faces. I know something is going on.”
Let’s take a look at some more rumbling from the NFC…
- While Packers general manager Ted Thompson usually is wary of aging players, Pete Dougherty of the Press-Gazette Media writes that the team shouldn’t move on from linebacker Julius Peppers. The Packers could cut the veteran without severe cap implications, but the writer believes Peppers has produced enough to stick around for at least another season.
- John Mullin of CSNChicago.com writes that lineman Kyle Long‘s future position is likely offensive tackle (as opposed to his current guard position), but some of his Bears teammates resented that prediction. “Why would you move him to guard?” said Jay Ratliff . “He’s definitely one of the best. He comes off the ball hard pretty much every single snap and he knows how to make adjustments. A lot of guys come in and you can beat them with something over and over and over again…He adjusts automatically, realizes what he’s done wrong, and self-corrects, almost auto-corrects.”
- LeSean McCoy made another Pro Bowl this season, but as Philly.com’s Zach Berman points out, the Eagles running back’s regular season success has never translated to the playoffs. Is the running back worried that he’ll never taste postseason success while in his prime? “I’m only 26; I’m not really sure,” McCoy said. “I’ve got a lot of years left, I feel like, with the way I play. I have a lot of stuff I want to accomplish. Individual and team goals. At the end of my career, I want to one day hopefully put that jacket on – and win a Super Bowl.”
NFC Links: Colston, Cutler, Bucs, Packers
ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett explores a couple reasons why Marques Colston‘s future with the Saints is uncertain. The 31-year-old’s production has dropped the past three seasons, and he’s set to make $7MM in 2015. Of course, the veteran wideout could agree to a pay cut, and that would certainly make teammate Drew Brees a happy camper.
“First of all, I think he’s gonna be here for a long time,” Brees said. “But just as I talk about him as a player, as a person, as a teammate and all those things, he’s everything you would want. Everything you would want. And I’ve been lucky to have him for nine years, and I’m gonna be lucky to have him for a few more.
“I mean he’s a mainstay. There’s not any person who I’ve ever played with who has been more steady, more consistent in every way. He’s the consummate teammate.”
Let’s take a look at some other notes from around the NFC…
- Despite making only four appearances this season, the Saints still claim they haven’t given up on second-round pick Stanley Jean-Baptiste. Both coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said they knew the cornerback would be a project, and they continue to echo that sentiment. “When we made that selection, we kind of understood exactly what we were receiving from an experience standpoint,” Payton said (via Triplett). “I like what I’ve been seeing from him. … For us, we like a lot of the characteristics we value in that position, and he has them. I think with the selection there were certain things we understood regarding him, and you have to have a vision. I think we had that.”
- Jay Cutler will return as the Bears starting quarterback this weekend, and the embattled star says he’ll be playing for “the guys that have been in the huddle all year long.” As Michael C. Wright explains, Cutler understands that there could be some drastic changes within the organization this offseason. “I think you’ve just got to prepare yourself that anything could happen,” Cutler said. “That’s kind of what I’m prepared for. I mean, everyone could stay. Everyone could get axed. You just never know what direction it’s going to go. You just have to stay open-minded and know that things happen for a reason.”
- The Buccaneers haven’t been particularly good recently, but that hasn’t prevented Mason Foster from wanting to stick around. The linebacker has battled injuries, and ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas says there’s no guarantee the 25-year-old will return. However, if it were up to Foster, he’d make Tampa Bay is permanent home. “I definitely want to stay in Tampa,’’ Foster said. “Both my sons were born in Tampa. I’ve got a lot of ties down here, and I love Tampa. It would be great. It would be amazing to stay here. But football is a business so you know there’s a chance you won’t be here.’’
- Packers cornerback Davon House has missed the last two games as he tries to recover from a fractured right scapula. The upcoming free agent understands that his season may be over, and that means his tenure in Green Bay could also be finished. “I’m still not cleared, so if the season were to end this Sunday I played my last game as a Packer probably,” House said (via Weston Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press Gazette). “You have to be real in my shoes. You have to be real. It’s my fourth year. It’s not guaranteed I’ll be back in March, so it’s a chance I played my last game. Is that highly (likely), no? But it’s still possible.”
Extra Points: Marrone, Grossman, Draft
If the Bills‘ new owners, Terry Pegula and Kim Pegula, have decided to retain head coach Doug Marrone beyond this season, they haven’t told Marrone yet, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. However, as Marrone told reporters today, he’s not worried about receiving assurances about his job.
“Now is really not the time for that in our profession,” Marrone said. “Maybe some other people would do that. I’m probably not the best person to talk to because I’m wired a little bit differently. Like I said, my focus is just on this game and winning. I don’t want to focus on the other stuff. The things that you can’t control, you don’t worry about. Those things will happen, I’m sure, when the season is over.”
Let’s check in on a few more Tuesday items from around the NFL….
- Browns head coach Mike Pettine confirmed today to reporters, including Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald (via Twitter), that Cleveland tried to sign quarterback Rex Grossman before reaching out to Tyler Thigpen. Grossman reportedly declined because he wanted to spent the holidays with his family instead.
- Boise State running back Jay Ajayi announced this week that he’ll forgo his senior season and enter the 2015 NFL draft, says Chadd Cripe of the Idaho Statesman, who notes that Ajayi made the decision earlier this month. Ajayi, who racked up 1,689 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns in his junior year, currently ranks as the 10th-best back in this year’s class, per Mel Kiper of ESPN.com.
- Utah offensive tackle Jeremiah Poutasi is expected to enter the 2015 draft early, sources tell Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link). Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com tweeted earlier this year that Poutasi is “pretty raw,” but is an intriguing prospect with a good deal of upside.
- Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune explains why it wasn’t a practical solution for the Bears to use the franchise tag on Jay Cutler a year ago.
- While Tony Sparano deserves praise for the job he’s done as the Raiders‘ interim coach, the club needs to “aim higher” when selecting its next coach, in the view of Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Bears Place Willie Young On IR
TUESDAY, 5:08pm: The Bears have officially ended Young’s season, placing him on injured reserve, per the team (Twitter link). Defensive end Austen Lane, who spent the preseason with the club, has been signed to fill the newly-opened roster spot.
MONDAY, 12:01pm: Bears defensive end Willie Young didn’t arrive in Chicago with the fanfare of fellow free agent signings Jared Allen and Lamarr Houston, but the fifth-year pro has outshone his counterparts along the defensive line in 2014. He has ten sacks this season, the first of a three-year deal signed this past offseason.
Young seemed like a lock to be a star again in 2015, but an injury to his Achilles tendon could jeopardize at least the beginning of next year. It will certainly keep him out of the season finale this Sunday, reports Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun Times.
“It’s an injury that’s going to take some time,” head coach Marc Trestman said. “I don’t know many that aren’t [serious].”
The Achilles injury is a difficult one to come back from. Another pass rusher recently came back from a similar injury in incredible time, as Terrell Suggs returned in time for the team’s Super Bowl run only five months and six days after the injury.
Of course, that case is the exception, as nine months to twelve months is a more common timetable for return.
In addition to Young, kicker Robbie Gould has missed the last three games with a quadriceps injury, and will also not be back in time for the Week 17 matchup, reports Dan Weiderer of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter). Gould made additional waves this morning when he went on the radio and criticized Trestman and the coaching staff’s decision to bench Jay Cutler, writes Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune.
“You could bench the whole team,” said Gould. “It’s not like anybody has really played fantastic or great. I mean, we’re 5-10 now. So … Jay is not the problem. Jay is not the issue. It’s just unfortunate. This is, honestly, it’s not the Bear way. I mean, this whole season is not the Bear way. Pointing fingers, things getting out of the locker room — that’s not the Chicago Bear way.”
Sunday Roundup: Houston, Rivers, Bears
Let’s take a look at some assorted links from around the league as Week 16 gets in gear:
- Although we already learned that there will be no NFL teams relocating to Los Angeles in 2015, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that Raiders owner Mark Davis is expected to sign a one-year lease with O.Co Coliseum for the team to play there next season. As Tafur writes, Davis “did reiterate he is steadfast in his desire to keep the team in Oakland.”
- Adam Teicher of ESPN.com believes Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston is destined for the franchise tag.
- ESPN’s Chris Mortensen tweets that Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, who led his team to an improbable comeback win over the 49ers last night, is dealing with a bulging disk in his lower back that may require surgery after the season.
- Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune makes a case for Bears right guard Kyle Long to stay at guard rather than shifting to tackle in the future.
- Jay Glazer of Fox Sports writes that the Bears are yet another team that could show interest in 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh.
- ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that there were a number of cornerbacks promoted from the practice squad to the active roster last week, and that the Ravens tried to sign five of them before landing the Vikings‘ Chris Greenwood.
- The Packers devote 13.5% of their salary cap to quarterback Aaron Rodgers, writes CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. Of the six teams who devote more to the quarterback position, only one (the Steelers) currently have a winning record.
Coaching Notes: Trestman, Bowles, Shanahan
We learned earlier today that Mike Smith was unlikely to return as coach of the Falcons in 2015, but there are plenty of head coaching candidates for whom the future appears much brighter, along with a number of others who are likely to be relieved of their duties or otherwise on the move. Let’s take a look:
- As we passed along earlier, Bears head coach Marc Trestman is expected to be fired after the season.
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is a top head coaching candidate for the Jets and Bears, and the Dolphins have not ruled out a reunion with Bowles.
- Although the University of Michigan apparently has a legitimate chance to land 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh as its next head coach, the Wolverines also have the Ravens‘ John Harbaugh, the Saints‘ Sean Payton, the Bills‘ Doug Marrone, and the Cowboys‘ Jason Garrett on their radar, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Outside of Jim Harbaugh, however, the other named candidates are highly unlikely to appear in maize and blue next year.
- In the same piece, La Canfora writes that Jim Harbaugh briefly accepted the Michigan job in 2011 before changing his mind shortly thereafter.
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that UCLA’s Jim Mora and Auburn’s Gus Malzahn are two collegiate coaches whom NFL teams may consider for head coaching vacancies in 2015. Rapoport adds (Twitter links) that he would expect the 49ers to have interest in Mora and the Dolphins to have interest in Malzahn.
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes that Mike Shanahan has not ruled out a return to coaching in 2015, and Florio lists the Falcons and 49ers as possible destinations. However, Shanahan, who was responsible for drafting Jay Cutler, maintains his belief that Cutler is a franchise quarterback, and the Bears (assuming they hang on to Cutler) may want to pursue Shanahan.
Latest On Jay Cutler; Titans Interested?
Speculation as to where Jay Cutler will play in 2015 has been running rampant for some time, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds a new twist to what promises to be one of the more interesting sagas of the offseason. Conor Orr of NFL.com, citing Rapoport, writes that the Titans have begun their due diligence on Cutler and could be a major player for the ex-Vanderbilt star if the Bears decide to trade him. Rapoport tweets that, as soon as Cutler was benched in favor of Jimmy Clausen, the Titans began doing their homework, asking players about Cutler and preparing research.
Chicago, of course, was considering dealing Cutler even before he was benched. If Cutler were to be traded, he would prefer to land in Nashville, where he shined at the collegiate level for four years (even if his Commodores did not). Since the Titans currently hold the No. 1 pick in 2015’s draft, a potential Tennessee trade for Cutler could have a significant impact on the other clubs at the top of the draft board. Heisman winner Marcus Mariota is currently viewed as the draft’s top prize, and if the Titans are not in the running for him, the teams directly behind Tennessee could stand to benefit.
One obvious snag that has already been discussed at length is the cap hit that a Cutler trade would force the Bears to absorb. As Orr writes, Cutler is owed a guaranteed $15.5MM next season, and if he is still on the team’s books on March 12, 2015, an additional $10MM of his 2016 salary locks in. However, the cap ramifications are not insurmountable, and former NFL agent Joel Corry has already taken a detailed look at how a Cutler trade could work.
Needless to say, the fact that the Titans, and perhaps other teams, have looked into a Cutler deal does not mean it is going to happen. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports wrote earlier this morning that Cutler is expected to return to Chicago in 2015, though the current Bears’ coaching staff is not. But the Bears will almost certainly look to gauge interest in their oft-disappointing signal-caller, and they may find a match with Tennessee.
NFC Links: Gore, Cutler, Griffin, Sanchez
49ers‘ running back Frank Gore has seen a decline in his play this season, and his future in San Francisco is in question. Aside from his rookie season and injury-shortened 2010, Gore is on pace to post career lows in yards, attempts, touchdowns, yards per carry, and longest run. He has also been phased out of the passing game, with career lows in targets, catches, and receiving yards.
Gore will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, and spoke to Eric Branch of SFGate.com regarding his future with the team. “If they want to bring me back, they will,” Gore said. “They’ll come to me in a respectful way. We’ll sit down, see what they want me to do. See what my role is and if I like it, I’ll sign. If I don’t, I’ll try to see what other teams think of me.”
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- Joel Corry of the National Football Post takes a look at the financial implications that would take place if the Bears decided to trade Jay Cutler. Because of his contract, he writes the Bears would be unlikely to get much in return for the embattled quarterback, but writes that the Titans, Jets, Buccaneers, Rams and Texans could all have at least some interest in acquiring Cutler at the right price.
- Despite some rumors that Washington would fire head coach Jay Gruden after only one season, the former Bengals’ offensive coordinator is confident that he will get a second season with the team, according to Conor Orr of NFL.com. “I feel good about my chances of coming back next year,” Gruden said. “I feel good about some of the core group of guys we have here and building a football team, and I think we can get this thing turned around a lot sooner than later if given the opportunity.”
- Gruden returning is not a given, but after that the biggest question of Washington’s offseason is at the quarterback position. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com would not be surprised to see Robert Griffin III back in Washington next season, noting that his salary is fully guaranteed for 2015 (via Twitter). He writes that Gruden wants to win, and Griffin could be his best option at quarterback (via Twitter).
- With Nick Foles closer to being healthy each week and the Eagles still in the thick of the playoff race, Mark Sanchez needs to be better, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. While he writes that Sanchez is not concerned about his own stock, the team’s playoff chances are directly related to how well Sanchez plays. Whether Sanchez’s top priority is making the playoffs or getting a starting job in 2015, he needs to be better over these next two games.
- The Panthers will not activate defensive end Frank Alexander for this weekend’s game against the Browns, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox sports 1 (via Twitter). Alexander came off of his suspension this week, after violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Garafolo writes that the team is expected to activate him on Monday.