AFC Notes: Bengals, Ballard, Manziel, Raiders
Linebacker J.K. Schaffer played in nine games for the Bengals in 2013, making most of his impact on special teams. However, the former undrafted rookie understands that a roster spot is not guaranteed, and he explained to Bill Koch of Cincinnati.com that the situation isn’t too different from last year…
“The only difference now is that I’ve done it,” Schaffer said. “I’ve been there. I’ve played in games, so that’s a good feeling, knowing that I’m not just trying to get to the point where I do play in a game.
“With this league, you’ve always got to fight to keep your job no matter who you are.”
Schaffer would be vying for the third middle linebacker spot behind Rey Maualuga and Vincent Rey and will likely be competing with fellow special team’s ace Jayson DiManche.
Let’s check out some more notes from the AFC…
- Colts running back Vick Ballard was carted off the field this afternoon, and sources tell ESPN’s Chris Mortensen that the player has a torn ACL (via Twitter). Ballard missed last season with the same injury.
- Johnny Manziel‘s off-the-field antics have “alarmed” some within the Browns organization, reports Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. The writer notes that some feel that the rookie quarterback has “lost ground” to Brian Hoyer heading into camp.
- Meanwhile, Browns head coach Mike Pettine said that Manziel came to camp “focused” and called the quarterback competition “open,” tweets the Akron Beacon Journal’s Nate Ulrich.
- Projected starting cornerback D.J. Hayden is still recovering from foot surgery and could miss several more weeks, but Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie explains to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle that his club doesn’t “want to push the panic button yet” and sign another corner.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
AFC Notes: Jets, Johnson, McGrath, Broncos
As someone who rewards loyalty and “takes care of the people who take care of his franchise,” Jets owner Woody Johnson has the perfect opportunity to send the right message to one of his players, says Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, arguing that the Jets should extend Muhammad Wilkerson before they have to. For his part, Wilkerson is interested in a new deal but acknowledges that with two years left on his rookie contract, he doesn’t mind being patient.
“Do I feel that I’m underpaid right now? Yeah,” Wilkerson said. “But that’s part of the business. My time will come when I get a new contract. But right now I’m just worried about becoming a better player, a better teammate and a better leader.”
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- A source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that Andre Johnson received an “understanding of where [the] Texans are going and of his own future and security” before reporting to camp. As Rapoport points out, the term “security” that perhaps Houston assured the receiver who won’t be cut next year when his cap hit increases to $16MM+.
- As Randy Covitz of the Kansas City Star tweets, Chiefs tight end Sean McGrath is seriously weighing the possibility of retiring, according to head coach Andy Reid. Per Covitz (Twitter links), McGrath has yet to report to camp as of this morning, and fellow tight end Travis Kelce is working in McGrath’s place as the club’s backup long snapper.
- Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today talks to former Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe to get his opinion on how the current tight end in Denver – Julius Thomas – could best cash in on a contract extension. As I observed when I examined Thomas’ extension candidacy, another big season in 2014 would likely mean an even bigger payday next year, but the tight end may prefer to work something out now.
- Historically, the Steelers have locked up plenty of key players to contract extensions right around the start of training camp, but the team doesn’t seem to have any impending deals this time around, writes Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- Andrew Whitworth and Domata Peko have the Bengals‘ best and worst contracts, respectively, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap.
- Peter King of TheMMQB.com explains commissioner Roger Goodell’s logic for only handing down a two-game suspension to Ravens running back Ray Rice.
Minor Moves: Seahawks, Steelers, Cowboys
There were tons of housekeeping moves in the NFL yesterday and we’ll keep track of the latest here..
- Former Steelers wide receiver David Gilreath signed a one-year deal with the Seahawks, agent Sean Stellato tells Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports 1 (on Twitter). Gilreath was cut by the Raiders after a short stint in June. The Seahawks also signed offensive guard C.J. Davis, according to agent Neil Schwartz (on Twitter).
- The Seahawks cut tight end Chase Dixon and waived-injured offensive lineman Jared Smith, Wilson tweets. Seattle signed Smith to a reserve contract in February and added Dixon as a UDFA in May.
- The Steelers cut linebacker Kion Wilson, Wilson tweets.
- The Cowboys cut Tyronne Green with an injury settlement, Wilson tweets. The offensive guard was placed on the reserved/injured list late last month.
- The Steelers signed defensive back Lew Toler, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
- The Bills waived/injured cornerback Brandon Smith, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (via Mike Rodak of ESPN on Twitter).
- The Bengals waived punter T.J. Conley, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer (on Twitter).
- The Bills claimed center Jared Wheeler off waivers from the Panthers while the Bengals grabbed wide receiver Conner Vernon after he was waived by the Browns, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Panthers signed linebacker Anthony Morales, according to Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter). Morales, will fill Edmund Kugbila‘s roster spot after he was waived-injured. Morales played at Weber State and had career totals of 342 tackles, five sacks, and 38 tackles for a loss.
- The Texans signed nose tackle David Hunter, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). It’s a homecoming for Hunter, who plied his craft at the University of Houston. Hunter will provide depth on the interior of the defensive line with third-round pick Louis Nix on the PUP list.
- The Buccaneers have been awarded linebacker Brandon Magee off waivers from the Browns, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- The Bengals have signed rookie wide receiver Jeremy Johnson, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer (on Twitter). The SMU product was recently cut loose by the Patriots.
AFC Notes: Blackmon, Chiefs, Ross, Dalton
Wide receiver Justin Blackmon, who was already serving an indefinite suspension for violations of the league’s substance abuse policy, was arrested in Oklahoma on Wednesday night for possession of marijuana, as Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union details. The Jaguars say they haven’t considered cutting Blackmon, but there’s no indication that he’ll be reinstated and return to the field anytime soon.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Via Joel Corry of CBSSports.com, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap passes along the details on Jamaal Charles’ new deal with the Chiefs, which includes a roster bonus and reporting bonus for 2014, but no prorated signing bonus.
- Even after signing his extension, Charles also earned the honor of having the best contract on the Chiefs, in Fitzgerald’s view. On the other end of the spectrum, Dwayne Bowe’s deal is the least team-friendly pact on the team’s books, says Fitzgerald.
- Ravens coach John Harbaugh told reporters, including Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), that cornerback Aaron Ross tore his Achilles tendon during the team’s conditioning test, and will be out for the season. The injury is an unfortunate one for the veteran defensive back, who was hoping to earn a regular-season roster spot.
- Speaking to the media today, Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton said he’s not worried about his contract situation, adding that the backing of owner Mike Smith makes him confident the two sides will work something out (Twitter links via Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com).
AFC Notes: Pouncey, Bengals, McCourty
While Mike Pouncey‘s initial recovery timetable from hip surgery suggested he’d miss the first month of the season, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports that the veteran center may not return for a few more weeks after that. According to Salguero, Pouncey’s rehab could extend into late October, meaning he’d miss nearly half the regular season.
Meanwhile, extension talks between Pouncey and the Dolphins have been put on hold for now, says Salugero (via Twitter). Besides the fact that Pouncey, who turns 25 tomorrow, isn’t healthy, it’s still a little early to make serious progress on a new contract, considering the team has exercised its fifth-year option for 2015. So far, no 2011 first-rounders have signed extensions, since their teams still have most of the leverage.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- For years, Bengals owner Mike Brown has served as the team’s de facto general manager, but speaking to reporters – including Joe Danneman of Fox19 – Brown said yesterday that his daughter Katie Blackburn and head coach Marvin Lewis are now running the franchise (Twitter link). As Paul Dehner of the Cincinnati Enquirer details, Brown still has the final say on personnel decisions, but typically follows the lead of Blackburn and Lewis.
- A report in early June suggested extension talks between the Patriots and safety Devin McCourty had gotten underway, but according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (via Twitter), there have been no new talks since that initial dialogue. Regardless, McCourty isn’t phased by heading into the regular season on an expiring deal.
- Focusing on how contract situations may affect players’ roster security, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe breaks down the Patriots who may be on the hot seat as roster cuts approach.
- Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star consults cap expert Joel Corry to determine whether or not the Chiefs will be able to lock up both Jamaal Charles and Justin Houston to new long-term contracts. The answer: Yes, though the team will have to be careful about how it spreads out the money on the cap.
Bengals Seeking Kaepernick Contract For Dalton?
Bengals owner and de facto general manager Mike Brown spoke to reporters today, and his starting quarterback was among the topics addressed. According to Brown, while using the franchise tag on Andy Dalton in 2015 remains an option, the team would like to get a longer-term deal done, and is hopeful that an agreement will be reached soon (all Twitter links via Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com). Brown went on to say that he thinks an extension for Dalton should be in the range of Colin Kaepernick‘s new contract with the 49ers (Twitter link).
The comparison to Kaepernick’s situation and extension is an interesting one, since the structure of that deal was considered somewhat team-friendly, and its overall value could fluctuate significantly depending on whether the Niners’ signal-caller triggers certain escalators. The six new years added to Kaepernick’s contract could be worth anywhere from $114MM ($19MM annually) to $126MM ($21MM per year), which seems like a steep price tag for Brown to voluntarily assign to Dalton. On the other hand, only about $13MM of that contract is fully guaranteed, and if you count the 2014 season as part of the deal, its overall annual value slips closer to the neighborhood of $17-18MM.
With both sides expressing optimism about working out a multiyear agreement, I’d be a little surprised if Dalton hadn’t signed an extension by the time the regular season gets underway. Still, as Brown notes, the franchise tag could be in play for the club in March if nothing has been worked out by that point. This past year, the franchise figure for quarterbacks amounted to $16.912MM.
Minor Moves: Hagg, Giants, Pats, Cowboys
After a quiet few weeks, roster moves around the NFL are picking up again, with most training camps just around the corner. We’ll track today’s minor moves here, including signings and cuts of players with no or little NFL experience. Here are the latest moves, with additional transactions added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- Safety Eric Hagg has informed the Broncos he intends to retire, reports Mike Klis of the Denver Post. Hagg, who appeared in 23 total games in two season with the Browns in 2011-12, had signed a futures contract with Denver earlier this year.
- According to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Giants have acted quickly to fill Chris Snee‘s roster spot, signing offensive lineman John Sullen, who auditioned for the team last month.
- Former BYU defensive tackle Eathyn Manumaleuna, who was cut by the Giants last month has signed with the Patriots, according to a team release. The club waived Seali’i Epenesa to clear room on the 90-man roster for Manumaleuna.
Earlier updates:
- Free agent wideout Dezmon Briscoe has signed with the Cowboys, according to agent Erik Burkhardt (via Twitter). Briscoe, who caught 35 passes for the Buccaneers in 2011, was waived-injured by the Redskins prior to the 2013 regular season. In order to sign Briscoe, the team waived defensive tackle Chris Whaley with a non-football injury designation, tweets Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.
- The Bengals have maintained an opening on their 90-man roster, waiving rookie wideout Alex Neutz today, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link).
- The Chargers have waived center Nick McDonald, the team announced today (via Twitter). The offensive lineman had inked a reserve/futures contract with the club back in January.
- With the newly-open roster spot, the Chargers will bring aboard Khalil Wilkes, a Stanford product who participated in the club’s minicamp in May. Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (via Twitter) that the team has agreed to terms with the undrafted center.
- One of the players who went unselected in this month’s supplemental draft has found a home, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, who reports that defensive tackle LaKendrick Ross is signing with the Bengals. Ross, who tried out for the Bengals today, had 11 teams attend his workout prior to that supplemental draft, though Cincinnati wasn’t among that list. The Bengals had an open roster spot already, so no corresponding move will be necessary to bring Ross aboard.
Extra Points: Dunbar, Bengals, McKnight, Bucs
Two central ideas are evident in the NFL as teams enter training camp, John Clayton of ESPN.com writes. First, offensive units are trying to run more plays per game than ever before. Perhaps due to the influence of Chip Kelly, Clayton can envision at least a half-dozen teams running over 70 plays per game next season. On defense, teams will have to react to the news that the league plans to call more pass defense penalties. Clubs like the Seahawks and the Patriots, who emphasize physicality in the secondary, might have to tone it down in order to avoid the ire of officials.
- Rams linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar was arrested and charged with battery and disorderly conduct after an incident at a Miami nightclub on Sunday, reports CBS Miami. Dunbar, an undrafted free agent in 2008, missed the first four games of the 2013 season after being suspended for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
- LakKendrick Ross, an undrafted free agent out Virginia-Lynchburg, will work out for the Bengals on Monday, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter link). Ross was eligible for the supplemental draft, but was not selected.
- Chiefs running back Joe McKnight had an offseason knee scope and is still recovering, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
- The Buccaneers are pinning their hopes on a veteran, journeyman quarterback in Josh McCown, writes Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, and history shows that isn’t the best decision. An ideal scenario entails McCown continuing his late-career revival à la Rich Gannon, continues Stroud.
- Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times runs through the Seahawks’ 2013 draft class, and examines what each player drafted last year can contribute in 2014.
- There are 10 players who will be crucial to the Bears’ success in 2014, opines Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times, who lists Lance Briggs, Jared Allen, and Jordan Mills in that camp.
AFC North Links: Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Steelers
When Anquan Boldin left the Ravens last offseason, it looked like former undrafted rookie Deonte Thompson could potentially step up and fill the void. However, the former Florida Gator struggled during his sophomore season. The wideout missed the first three games with a foot injury and was reportedly arrested in February (the case was dropped).
As a result, Thompson is trying to make up for lost time. With the odds stacked against him, the 25-year-old is hoping for a breakout season. Via Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com…
“It’s a big year,” Thompson said. “I’m motivated, man. I’m so motivated. You can’t take anything for granted out here. You have to give it your all.
“It’s going to be a great competition, man. No doubt. The cream always rises to the top, so the best will definitely stick out.”
Thompson also touched on his disappointing 2013 season…
“Everything was going good and I felt like the sky was going to be the limit, then bam, I get hurt.
“When I got back, just catching back up and trying to get back in, the season’s already rolling and guys are plugged in. That really set me back.”
Thompson certainly has some competition for a roster spot. Besides shoo-ins Torrey Smith, Steve Smith, Marlon Brown and Jacoby Jones, he’ll also have to compete with Jeremy Butler, Michael Campanaro and LaQuan Williams.
Let’s check out some more news from the AFC North…
- If Ray Rice is suspended, ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley thinks that would “increase the chances” of veteran running back Justin Forsett making the Ravens.
- Running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis and safety Taylor Mays are among the roster “bubble” players heading into Bengals training camp, writes ESPN.com’s Coley Harvey.
- If the Bengals decide to keep Green-Ellis, Harvey could see the team keeping James Wilder Jr. as a possible replacement. By redshirting Wilder, the team could then turn to the bruising running back when Green-Ellis’s contract expires at the end of 2014.
- Brandon Tate could be a notable cut by the Bengals, Harvey writes in his roster prediction. Adam Jones is expected to be more involved in the return game while Dane Sanzenbacher appears to be a better option at wideout. The presence of that duo could make Tate expendable.
- The Browns‘ 2013 third-round pick might not stick around for a second year. Leon McFadden could be the odd man out in the cornerback rotation, and ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon omits him from his theoretical roster.
- Depending on fourth-round pick Martavis Bryant‘s ability to contribute, Scott Brown of ESPN.com says that the Steelers could potentially hold on to six receivers. That final spot would likely go to veteran Darrius Heyward-Bey, who Brown currently has as the odd man out.
A.J. Green Discusses Extension, Andy Dalton
While A.J. Green figures to eventually enter negotiations with the Bengals on a long-term deal, the fifth-year option for first-round picks ensures that it isn’t necessarily an immediate concern for the club. Having exercised Green’s option earlier this offseason, the Bengals locked up the star wideout through the 2015 season, meaning extension discussions may not heat up for another year or more.
As Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com details, Green acknowledged that the potential wait won’t bother him, and the receiver also discussed a potential extension for the guy throwing him the football, quarterback Andy Dalton. Here are the notable quotes from Green:
On Dalton and a possible new contract for the QB:
“We came in together. That’s my guy. He helped me where I am. I helped him and we took the Bengals to a different level. The Bengals were losing a lot before we came. I feel like we turned it around. … I know they know he’s the guy…I feel like they’re going to get something done before the season starts.”
On Dalton’s regular-season success and lack thereof in the postseason:
“A lot of people give him crap about not winning a playoff game, but we’ve made the playoffs the last three seasons. We’ve won 10 or more games (twice). Playoff games…we’re still young. I feel like we’re going to win them, it just takes time.”
On Green’s own contract:
“I think I’m on the backburner just because of the option. That’s fine with me. I don’t even look at it like that. I just go out there and play and my time will come. … It’s not surprising. Teams always want to wait. I’m fine with my option and my $10MM. I’ll take it.”