Bengals Unlikely To Re-Sign Mohamed Sanu
3:28pm: The Browns, mentioned below as a potential suitor for Sanu, are indeed expected to pursue him in free agency, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. The source added that former Bengals OC Hue Jackson “loved Sanu’s versatility.”
8:38am: The Bengals have multiple wide receivers eligible to hit the open market in March, and at least one of them is unlikely to return to Cincinnati. According to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports, there’s “virtually no chance” that the Bengals re-sign Mohamed Sanu, who is expected to explore other opportunities in free agency.
Sanu, 26, established new career highs in 2014 with 56 receptions, 790 receiving yards, and five touchdowns. However, with fellow free-agent-to-be Marvin Jones back in the mix for Cincinnati in 2015, Sanu took on a decreased role in the Bengals’ offense. Receiving half the targets that he did the year before, the former third-round pick saw his numbers dip to 33 catches and 394 yards, and he didn’t record a single touchdown. Sanu admits that he’d like a bigger role going forward, wherever he lands.
“I think about that all the time,” Sanu told Marvez on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “When you’ve got so much talent on one team, it’s hard to get the ball. It definitely crossed my mind going elsewhere. We’ve just got to see how everything unfolds.”
While Sanu’s contract year wasn’t overly impressive, he’s expected to draw interest from multiple teams in free agency, including perhaps the Browns, Falcons, and Giants, writes Marvez. This year’s wide receiver market isn’t strong, so once the top two or three options come off the board, the Bengals wideout could become a more attractive target for teams that need to upgrade the position, particularly since so many clubs will have cap space on hand. One report earlier this week estimated a deal worth $5MM annually for Sanu.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
2016 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates
On Tuesday, February 16th, NFL teams will be able to place franchise and transition tags on potential free agents for the first time. While the window for franchise tags opens at that point, most clubs won’t actually tag any players right away.
As our list of important dates for the 2016 offseason shows, the deadline for teams to assign those franchise and transition tags comes two weeks later, on Tuesday, March 1st. Generally when it comes to NFL contract discussions, deadlines spur action, so teams will likely wait until closer to that March deadline to officially use franchise tags, once it becomes clear that they won’t be able to strike a longer-term deal yet with their respective free-agents-to-be.
Even though the action might not heat up for a couple more weeks, it’s worth taking a closer look at what to expect during 2016’s franchise tag period. We don’t know yet what the exact salary amounts for franchise tags will be, since the NFL has yet to announce the salary cap figure for the coming year. But back in November, former agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com projected the 2016 franchise tag salaries, based on a presumed cap of $154MM. Here are the non-exclusive franchise tag amounts projected by Corry:
- Quarterback: $19.748MM
- Running back: $11.871MM
- Wide receiver: $14.527MM
- Tight end: $9.053MM
- Offensive line: $13.678MM
- Defensive end: $15.494MM
- Defensive tackle: $13.368MM
- Linebacker: $14.131MM
- Cornerback: $13.838MM
- Safety: $10.717MM
- Punter/kicker: $4.534MM
Those numbers are unlikely to be 100% accurate, but the actual figures won’t be drastically different, so we can use them as points of reference when considering which players are candidates to be franchised in 2016.
For a refresher on the characteristics of the exclusive and non-exclusive franchise tags, as well as the transition tag, be sure to check out PFR’s glossary entry on the subject. Once you’re up to speed, let’s dive in and take a look at the most likely candidates to be tagged, along with several more outside possibilities….
Virtual locks:
Broncos pass rusher Von Miller was viewed as the top player in this year’s group of potential free agents even before he terrorized Cam Newton in Santa Clara and earned Super Bowl MVP honors. Now, there’s no doubt that Denver will do all it can to retain the former second overall pick. The only questions for Miller are whether he’ll reach a long-term deal with the Broncos before the club needs to franchise him, and whether he’d get the exclusive or non-exclusive tag.
Panthers cornerback Josh Norman didn’t make the same impact in Super Bowl 50 that Miller did, but Carolina still seems likely to franchise him to avoid letting him hit the open market. The franchise tag for cornerbacks is projected to be worth nearly $14MM, but the Panthers are in better cap shape than they have been in recent years, and can afford to take the hit.
Meanwhile, it has been a few years since a quarterback was franchised, but Washington signal-caller Kirk Cousins is a strong candidate. Reports have indicated the team won’t let him get away, but the two sides apparently aren’t close to a multiyear agreement, which makes the franchise tag the most logical option at this point.
Strong candidates:
A year or two ago, Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery would have been a no-brainer candidate for the franchise tag. However, 2015 was an up-and-down season for Jeffery, who only played in nine games due to injury issues. When he did play, Jeffery was excellent, averaging a career-high 89.7 yards per game, and few teams have more projected cap room this offseason than Chicago, so it seems unlikely that the team would let the wideout get away — especially given how weak the market for receivers is this year, outside of Jeffery.
The Jets are facing an interesting predicament on their defensive line with Damon Harrison and Muhammad Wilkerson eligible for free agency this winter. Harrison isn’t a franchise tag candidate, and the Jets could conceivably re-sign him at a reasonable price, then move forward with a defensive line of Harrison, Sheldon Richardson, and Leonard Williams. However, letting an asset like Wilkerson get away for nothing isn’t great business, which is why he has been viewed as an intriguing tag-and-trade candidate for New York.
Elsewhere in the AFC East, the Bills and Dolphins don’t have a ton of cap flexibility, which could affect their decisions on offensive tackle Cordy Glenn and defensive end Olivier Vernon, respectively. There are ways for Buffalo and Miami to create the space necessary to tag their free-agents-to-be, but 
both teams already have plenty of highly-paid veterans on their books, so the decisions aren’t no-brainers. I think Glenn, at least, is slightly more likely than not to be tagged, but both players could conceivably reach the open market.
Safety Eric Berry had a tremendous comeback season in 2015, and it would put something of a damper on that story for the Chiefs to allow him to sign elsewhere next month. A $10MM+ price tag for a safety isn’t cheap, but it’s a more affordable tag than most positions, so I think Kansas City will have to strongly consider using it if the team can’t agree on a longer-term contract with Berry. As last year’s negotiations with Justin Houston showed, the Chiefs aren’t afraid to franchise a player, then work out a multiyear pact with him later in the offseason.
One position that’s significantly cheaper than safety is kicker, where Corry projects a salary in the $4.5MM range. The Ravens and Justin Tucker have reportedly been negotiating a potential extension for over a year, but with the franchise deadline approaching, the team isn’t afraid to use a tag on Tucker, if it comes to that.
Long shots:
The Jets want to extend Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Eagles have spoken highly of Sam Bradford, but it appears unlikely that either quarterback will get franchised. At least one report has indicated that the Eagles aren’t expected to use their franchise tag to retain Bradford, and a price tag of nearly $20MM seems too high for Fitzpatrick.
Like Fitzpatrick, Buccaneers running back Doug Martin is a player whose team badly wants to re-sign him, but may view the franchise tag salary as too high. For running backs, the tag could be worth nearly $12MM, which would make Martin the second-highest-paid RB in the NFL – behind Adrian Peterson – by a comfortable margin. For a player who has been as inconsistent as Martin, that seems excessive.
A handful of offensive linemen are possible candidates to be tagged by their respective teams, including Kelechi Osemele (Ravens), Russell Okung (Seahawks), Mitchell Schwartz (Browns), Kelvin Beachum (Steelers), and Andre Smith (Bengals). However, I’d be a little surprised if even one of those five got the franchise tag. Since there’s only one price tag for all offensive linemen, the projected salary ($13.678MM) is left-tackle money, and Osemele, Schwartz, and Smith haven’t seen much – if any – playing time at left tackle. As for Okung and Beachum, I’m skeptical that their teams will want to invest too heavily in them, since they haven’t been consistently healthy and elite in recent years.
If the Broncos strike a long-term deal with Miller soon, it would free up the franchise tag for quarterback Brock Osweiler or defensive end Malik Jackson. Even in the unlikely event that Miller and the Broncos agree to terms quickly though, the franchise salaries for Osweiler and Jackson may be a little too high.
Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul got the franchise tag last year, but it’ll be pricier this season, and obviously there are more question marks this time around, given the state of his right hand. As such, I don’t think he’s a real candidate to be tagged, despite New York’s significant cap space. Bengals safety Reggie Nelson seems like a similar long-shot — he had another good season in 2015, earning his first Pro Bowl nod, but it would be surprising to see a team commit $10MM+ to a 33-year-old safety.
Finally, Tucker isn’t the only kicker or punter who has a shot to be tagged. Jaguars punter Bryan Anger, Raiders punter Marquette King, and Packers kicker Mason Crosby are among the other special teams candidates. They’re all less likely than Tucker to be franchised, but the Jags and Raiders have the most cap room in the NFL, so they could certainly afford it.
Vontaze Burfict’s Three-Game Ban Upheld
Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict‘s three-game suspension has been upheld, reports Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (Twitter link). According to Graziano, Burfict’s appeal was heard by appeals officer – and former Pro Bowl linebacker – Derrick Brooks. The hearing took place prior to the Super Bowl, tweets Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
[RELATED: Vontaze Burfict suspended three games]
We heard earlier today that Burfict was expected to meet with commissioner Roger Goodell sometime within the next week to discuss the discipline from the league. In fact, that meeting took place on Thursday, after the decision on the linebacker’s appeal had already been made, according to Graziano (Twitter links), who reports that Burfict’s agent, head coach Marvin Lewis, and NFL executive Troy Vincent were also present.
Since Brooks had already made his ruling on Burfict’s appeal, today’s meeting was more about discussing Burfict’s behavior, addressing how to avoid further problems and violations going forward, says Graziano.
Prior to receiving his suspension last month, Burfict was reportedly fined for safety-related violations four times in 2015, including a $50K fine for unnecessarily contacting an opponent who was out of the play in Cincinnati’s Week 17 game against the Ravens. That play, which can be viewed here, saw Maxx Williams run a route in the end zone and get drilled, even though the ball was nowhere near him.
The tipping point for Burfict came in Cincinnati’s Wild Card loss against the Steelers, when he committed a personal foul penalty on wide receiver Antonio Brown, hitting him in the head at the end of play late in the fourth quarter. The 15-yard penalty played a key part in the Bengals ultimately losing that game and being eliminated from the playoffs.
The Bengals’ schedule for the 2016 season isn’t yet known, but Burfict won’t be eligible to come off the reserve/suspended list until Week 4.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
AFC North Notes: Burfict, Browns, Suisham
Shortly after word broke a month ago that Vontaze Burfict would face a three-game suspension for repeated on-field safety violations, reports indicated that the Bengals linebacker would meet with commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss the penalty. That meeting, which Burfict hopes will help get his suspension reduced, hasn’t happened yet, but it’s set to take place within the next week, according to Coley Harvey and James Walker of ESPN.com.
Here’s more from out of the AFC North:
- Browns director of football research Ken Kovash has received a promotion from the team, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter links). The team is still determining his new title, but Kovash is expected to help new VP of player personnel Andrew Berry run the Browns’ scouting department.
- Chris Boswell converted 29 of 32 field goal tries for the Steelers in 2015, but veteran kicker Shaun Suisham, who spent the season on IR, fully intends to reclaim his job this year, as he tells Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “The first thing I need to do is get healthy,” said Suisham, who continues to recover from a torn ACL. “If I’m healthy, I think I will be in good position to get my old job back.”
- Few NFL teams restructure contracts as frequently as the Steelers do, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, who takes an in-depth look at why Pittsburgh is constantly moving around money, how it benefits the club, and how it can backfire as well.
- Hue Jackson‘s first major challenge will be carrying out a culture change in the Browns‘ locker room, Bud Shaw of Cleveland.com writes. Shaw wonders if the Browns will now put more emphasis on character in the draft now that Jackson is part of the organization.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Workout Notes: 2/9/16
NFL’s 2016 free agent period doesn’t officially open until March 9th, but players who didn’t finish the season on a roster – or who have since been cut – are free to work out with teams and sign contracts right away. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle has several updates on those free agents who are visiting and/or auditioning for NFL teams, so let’s round up the latest:
- Before he agreed to sign a reserve/futures contract with Washington, former Steelers first-round defensive lineman Ziggy Hood tried out for the Raiders. Oakland also brought in former Fresno State edge defender Tristan Okpalaugo for a visit (Twitter links).
- Veteran defensive back Jeromy Miles and ex-Broncos tight end Dan Light recently auditioned for the Chiefs (Twitter link). Miles, who has appeared in 67 career regular-season games for the Bengals and Ravens, was cut last September by the Giants, while Light lost his practice squad spot in Denver following the team’s AFC Championship win over New England.
- The Bengals recently worked out – but did not sign – offensive tackle Sean Donnelly, safety Zach Elias, running back Alonzo Harris, running back Storm Johnson and wide receiver Rico Richardson (Twitter link). Those players were part of a larger group of eight, with the remaining three players earning contracts.
- Former Cowboys defensive tackle Ken Bishop, a seventh-round pick in 2014, worked out for the Buccaneers (Twitter link).
- Former Pitt offensive guard Jason Pinkston recently visited the Steelers (link). The Steelers also recently worked out linebacker Jordan DeWalt-Ondijo, wide receiver Issac Blakeney, long snapper Matt Dooley, defensive back Montell Garner, offensive guard Cole Manhart, wide receiver Tobais Palmer, cornerback Al-Hajj Shabazz, and defensive tackle Josh Watson (Twitter links).
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/8/16
Here are today’s minor moves as the offseason officially begins.
- The Saints waived wide receiver Seantavius Jones, according to Evan Woodberry of NOLA.com. Jones, 23, played in three games this season after arriving as an undrafted free agent in 2014. The Saints, who played UDFAs Willie Snead and Brandon Coleman consistently in 2015, have eight wideouts under contract.
- New Orleans has signed cornerback Tony Carter, per Woodberry. The Saints initially signed the journeyman corner in December before waiving him later that month. A seven-year veteran, Carter also played in three games with the Colts in 2015 after the Broncos cut him before the season started. Set to enter his age-30 season, Carter’s played in 45 games and started two for the 2013 AFC champion Broncos.
- The Bengals signed cornerback Chykie Brown and tackle Darryl Baldwin, the team announced on its Twitter account. Neither played in the league last season. A five-year veteran, Brown’s started six games since coming into the league as a fifth-round draft choice of the Ravens’ in 2011. Four of those starts came for the Giants in 2014. The Ravens cut Baldwin after one preseason game last year.
Marvin Jones Plans To Test Free Agency
Bengals wide receiver Marvin Jones is eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason, and he doesn’t sound like someone who is interested in signing an extension without first seeing what’s out there on the open market. With free agency approaching, Jones told NFL Media’s Scott Hanson (story via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com) that he plans to “look at all angles” on the market, suggesting he’s not interested in taking a hometown discount to re-sign with Cincinnati.
“I love Cincinnati,” Jones said. “…But at the same time, I am a free agent. It wouldn’t be good for me not to test the waters a little bit. It’s just an exciting process.”
With very few top wideouts expected to be available this offseason, Jones could be one of the top targets for teams looking to add pass catchers. The former fifth-round pick had arguably his best year in 2015 after missing the entire 2014 campaign with a foot injury, setting new career highs with 65 receptions and 816 yards. While he didn’t come close to matching the 10 touchdowns he posted in 2013, Jones reached the end zone four times and was among the league’s more productive No. 2 receivers.
Wesseling suggests that Jones ought to be targeting the same sort of five-year, $31MM deal that Golden Tate signed with the Lions a couple offseasons ago, adding that perhaps the Browns – whose new head coach Hue Jackson worked with Jones as Cincinnati’s offensive coordinator – would be a logical suitor.
However, Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer hears from sources that Jones will seek about $7MM per year, slightly more than Tate. That could make Eric Decker‘s deal with the Jets (five years, $36.25MM) a potential point of comparison for Jones, though he might not get quite that high. Still, while the Bengals may be unwilling to match that number, the wide receiver will be the team’s top priority among free-agents-to-be, says Owczarski.
Although the Bengals will prioritize a deal for Jones, he’s not likely to be a candidate for the franchise tag, which is expected to exceed $14MM for receivers in 2016. So Cincinnati will have to get something done within the next few weeks to keep him from getting offers from other teams.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/3/16
Here are Wednesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
- The Bengals have signed tight end John Peters to a reserve/futures deal, the team announced today (on Twitter). Peters spent time with Cincinnati last summer after being signed as an undrafted free agent, but was waived by the club before the regular season began.
Earlier updates:
- After striking gold a year ago with Delvin Breaux, who was New Orleans’ most reliable cornerback in his first season with the club, the Saints have signed another defender from the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Linebacker Erik Harris has inked a contract with the Saints, according to Drew Edwards and Justin Dunk of 3DownNation.com. Harris, who played with Breaux in 2014, recorded 43 tackles and a pair of interceptions this past season.
- The Bills have signed cornerback Javier Arenas to a reserve/futures contract, the team announced today (via Twitter). A former second-round pick, Arenas has logged a total of 69 career regular season games, including 12 starts, during stints with the Chiefs, Cardinals, and Falcons. However, he didn’t play for an NFL team in 2015 after being cut by the Jets last August.
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/2/16
Here are today’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
- The Bengals have signed former Eastern Michigan running back Bronson Hill to a reserve/futures contract, the team announced today (via Twitter). After being cut by the Bills prior to the 2015 regular season, Hill spent some time on the Bears’, Dolphins’, and Saints’ practice squads.
- Wide receiver Kyle Prater, who went undrafted last year out of Northwestern, has signed a reserve/futures deal with the Saints, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. (via Twitter). It’s Prater’s second stint in New Orleans — the Saints also signed him last spring, but waived him in August.
Coach Notes: Giants, Texans, Bills, Titans
There aren’t many offensive or defensive coordinator jobs still available, as our tracker shows, but teams continue to tweak their coaching staffs in preparation for the 2016 season, interviewing and hiring position coaches and other assistants. Here are a few of Thursday’s updates on that front:
- First-time head coach Ben McAdoo appears to be considering an assistant with head coaching experience for his staff. Per Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Giants interviewed former Niners head coach Mike Singletary today for their linebackers coach job.
- On the other side of the ball, the Giants interviewed Packers assistant Mike Solari on Wednesday for their offensive line coach position, tweets Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. According to Marvez, Solari is a “strong candidate” to be added to McAdoo’s staff.
- As expected, the Texans have hired former Ravens and Texans defensive lineman Anthony Weaver as their defensive line coach, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Weaver, who last played for Houston in 2008, will replace Paul Pasqualoni.
- According to Marvez (via Twitter), the Bills are making Pat Meyer their assistant offensive line coach.
- Marvez also reports (via Twitter) that the Titans have promoted Nick Eason from defensive line assistant to defensive line coach.
- The Bengals announced three coaching moves today (via Twitter), re-assigning Robert Livingston as assistant defensive backs coach and adding Robert Couch and Dan Pitcher to their offensive staff.