Alex Mack Opts Out Of Contract
Browns center Alex Mack has decided to opt out of his contract, voiding the final three years of his deal, reports Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. Mack is now eligible to hit the open market next week, though it’s still possible he’ll work out a new agreement with the Browns to remain in Cleveland.
Mack, 30, has been one of the NFL’s most reliable centers since he entered the league in 2009. The veteran lineman has been Cleveland’s full-time starter since joining the team, starting all 16 regular-season games for the franchise in all but one of his seven NFL seasons. He has also earned three Pro Bowl nods.
Two years ago, when Mack first became eligible for free agency, the Browns used their transition tag on the center, who then signed a five-year, $42MM offer sheet with the Jaguars. Cleveland ultimately took advantage of the right of first refusal and matched the offer, but since the language of the contract included an opt-out for this winter, it was essentially a two-year deal rather than a five-year pact.
The timing of Mack’s decision comes as no surprise — the deadline for him to opt out was this coming Friday, March 4th. However, if he had opted out before Tuesday at 3:00pm central time, the Browns would still have the option to use a franchise or transition tag on him. As such, Mack had always been expected to take advantage of his opt-out during this window.
Since he had three years and $24MM remaining on his now-voided contract, Mack figures to aim to exceed those figures on the open market, or in a new deal with Cleveland. The Jaguars will be one suitor to watch, since Jacksonville still has a ton of cap room and a hole at center. But there should be no shortage of teams with interest in Mack, particularly since this year’s free agent market isn’t exactly overflowing with centers capable of starting.
With Mack now a week away from hitting the open market, the Browns risk losing two solid starters on their offensive line. Right tackle Mitchell Schwartz is also eligible for unrestricted free agency, and is expected to gauge his value around the league next week. While one or both linemen could ultimately re-sign with Cleveland, it’s worth noting that Browns personnel head Sashi Brown said last week that if the team were to work out a new contract with Mack, it would likely happen before the center’s opt-out deadline.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
FA Rumors: Irvin, Forte, C. Long, Gipson, J. Howard
Armed with over $70MM in cap space and in need of defensive upgrades, the Jaguars have emerged as early contenders for soon-to-be free agent linebacker Bruce Irvin, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Irvin, who has spent the first four years of his career in Seattle, is familiar with Jags head coach Gus Bradley – formerly the Seahawks‘ defensive coordinator. Bradley helped Irvin to a career-high eight sacks in the defender’s rookie year, 2012, before leaving for Jacksonville. Irvin has since added 14 more sacks over the last three years. When PFR’s Luke Adams previewed the Jaguars’ offseason three weeks ago, he listed Irvin as a logical fit for the Jags.
Here’s the latest on some other players looking for new contracts as free agency nears:
- Thirty-year-old running back Matt Forte will have a difficult time eclipsing $3MM per annum on his next deal, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. The five-time thousand-yard rusher racked up 1,287 total yards (898 rushing, 389 receiving) and seven touchdowns last season, and is poised to join his second franchise after spending the first eight years of his career in Chicago.
- Free agent defensive end Chris Long is generating interest and will start visiting teams after his first child is born (due date Wednesday), tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Long, 30, has 54.5 sacks in his first eight seasons, all of which were spent in St. Louis. The Rams released Long earlier this month after injuries limited his effectiveness the previous two years.
- Safety Tashaun Gipson expects his Browns tenure to end after four years, per teammate Donte Whitner. “I don’t think he’s too hopeful he’s going to be back,” said Whitner (Twitter link via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). We learned over the weekend that Gipson could parlay his ball-hawking prowess (14 career interceptions) into a big contract.
- Chiefs defensive lineman Jaye Howard is looking for $8MM to $9MM per year, Biggs reports. Howard, 27, set career highs in starts (14), tackles (57) and sacks (5.5) during the 2015-16 season, and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded him a solid 24th among 123 qualifying interior D-linemen.
- The Dolphins could pursue Bears tight end Zach Miller in free agency, writes Biggs. Miller played under new Dolphins head coach Adam Gase when the latter was the Bears’ offensive coordinator last season and totaled career bests in all notable categories. If Chicago loses Miller, it could replace him with one of the Colts‘ free agent tight ends, Dwayne Allen or Coby Fleener, per Biggs.
Draft Rumors: QBs, Treadwell, Nkemdiche
If the Browns take the fast-rising Carson Wentz at No. 2, a longtime personnel executive informs Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com there’s a possibility three quarterbacks go off the board in the first seven picks.
This source believes Jared Goff falling to No. 4 would entice the Cowboys to select him and that the 49ers would be tempted to take Paxton Lynch at No. 7 to give a highly touted quarterback the chance to learn Chip Kelly‘s system from Day 1 as opposed to the veterans who were installed in Kelly’s offense in Philadelphia either after playing in Andy Reid‘s or another team’s attack.
Here’s the latest coming out of the prospect pool as the Combine winds down.
- The notion Laquon Treadwell‘s more of a possession receiver has emerged at the Combine, Robinson reports. Some league personnel are wondering if the Ole Miss first-round prospect’s future is more of a No. 2 wideout and red zone-type threat than a high-ceiling No. 1 that teams take in the top half of the first round, where the early-entry receiver’s expected to be drafted.
- Robert Nkemdiche‘s character concerns have caused the one-time No. 1 recruit in the country to be taken off of multiple teams’ draft boards. But Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net reports (on Twitter) the Ole Miss defensive lineman already has 15 visits arranged.
- Teams will be concerned of potential nerve damage lingering for former potential No. 1 overall pick Jaylon Smith, Sal Maiorana of USA Today notes. But the Bills could be in play for the Notre Dame prospect if he falls to No. 19, with the team lacking a game-changing linebacker. Although Buffalo’s past taking a player not expected to contribute that season — Willis McGahee in 2003 — doesn’t apply too much here, Todd Gurley proved such a gamble can pay off.
- Although Joey Bosa‘s Combine numbers were eerily similar to J.J. Watt‘s, the 20-year-old prospect underwhelmed with a 4.86 40-yard dash time. But the Browns are considering Bosa with their No. 2 pick, along with Wentz and Goff, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Bosa, who met with the Browns, was expected to run faster considering he’ll likely have to play linebacker in a 3-4 defense.
Colin Kaepernick’s Reps Request Permission To Seek Trade
SUNDAY, 5:28pm: When asked about the report Kaepernick’s representatives are seeking to move the quarterback out of San Francisco, 49ers owner Jed York told the San Jose Mercury News’ Mark Purdy, “I haven’t talked to his people, and I try to stay away from what the agents say. I know what our feeling is. We want Kap to be healthy. And we’d like to see Kap here. … And I think when you look at what Chip’s offensive philosophy is, I think Kap is a very good fit for that. I think Chip has said that. We expect Kap to be here.”
Mike Florio of Pro Football talk interprets York’s insistence on keeping Kaepernick as a way to drive up the sixth-year quarterback’s market. York also acknowledges in the tampering bonanza that is the Combine, agents don’t exactly need permission to engage in talks with other teams.
“I’ve been around the NFL long enough to know that you don’t need to grant agents permission to make phone calls,” York told Purdy. “So, again, we’re not actively doing anything. I can’t stop somebody from reaching out. But our opinion is, we’d like Kap to be here.”
SATURDAY, 6:00pm: Kaepernick’s money isn’t guaranteed until April 1, but the 49ers are willing to move that date up if he commits to staying with the club, tweets Rapoport.
5:05pm: The 49ers hope to keep Kaepernick, who hasn’t yet received permission to seek a trade, according to Rapoport (Twitter link). If the 49ers do allow Kaepernick to look for a deal, Rapoport expects the Texans and Browns to have interest in acquiring him.
THURSDAY, 7:08pm: It would be a “major upset” if Kaepernick remained a 49er, tweets CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora.
6:30pm: If Kaepernick wants to seek a trade and keep his guaranteed money, he’ll need written permission from the 49ers, something he doesn’t have yet, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Further, Kelly wants Kaepernick to compete for the 49ers’ starting job, per Rapoport, who adds (on Twitter) that there won’t be a quick resolution to this situation.
In the event Kaepernick is dealt, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee expects him to end up with an AFC team. The Broncos, Browns, Jets and Texans are possible suitors, according to Barrows (Twitter link).
5:21pm: The agents for quarterback Colin Kaepernick have requested permission from the 49ers to seek a trade, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
[RELATED: 49ers to meet with Kaepernick’s reps at combine]
Getlin’s report is almost comically timed, coming on the heels of general manager Trent Baalke insisting that Kaepernick will remain on the Niners’ roster through his salary guarantee deadline (April 1st) and head coach Chip Kelly saying today that he fully believes the quarterback wants to stay in San Francisco. Assuming Getlin’s report is accurate, it looks like the 49ers’ decision-makers may have been trying to sell a different narrative this week at the combine, perhaps in order to maintain leverage and pump up Kaepernick’s stock.
Tim Kawakami of San Jose Mercury News wrote on Tuesday that Kaepernick “understandably remains generally distrustful of team management’s motivations,” following a year in which he was benched and was the subject of unflattering leaks to media. The 28-year-old started eight games for the Niners in 2015, completing just 59.0% of his passes and throwing only six touchdowns to five interceptions. Blaine Gabbert took over as San Francisco’s starter in the second half while Kaepernick dealt with multiple injury issues.
While some observers believe that Kelly’s offensive system would be ideal for Kaepernick as he aims to bounce back in 2016, it seems as if the quarterback may prefer to get a fresh start elsewhere. If that’s the case, April 1st will be a key deadline — if the quarterback remains on the team’s roster beyond that day, his $11.9MM salary for 2016 will become fully guaranteed.
Of course, assuming the team grants Kaepernick’s representatives permission to explore a trade, any deal might have to take place sooner rather than later. Quarterback-needy teams likely won’t want to wait long after the new league year begins on March 9th to address the position, unless they intend to select a QB in the draft.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Big Name Rumors: Kaepernick, Miller, Martin
Let’s take a look at some rumors surrounding the biggest names of this offseason, beginning with updates on Colin Kaepernick and Von Miller.
- Contrary to yesterday’s speculation from Ian Rapoport, John McClain of The Houston Chronicle tweets that the Texans have “no interest” in trading for Kaepernick. Likewise, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Browns are not interested in dealing for Kaepernick at this time.
- As Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee observes, now that Kaepernick’s unhappiness with the 49ers is public knowledge, the team has zero leverage in trade talks. Instead of being traded, Kaepernick would reportedly prefer to be released, an alternative that would probably lead to less money for him but would allow him to choose his next destination. However, a release is probably not in the cards, as Mark Purdy of The San Jose Mercury News writes. Purdy recently interviewed team owner Jed York at length, and York reaffirmed his belief in Kaepernick and expressed his hope that No. 7 is wearing a 49ers uniform next season. Plus, even if Kaepernick is still on the team’s roster on April 1, which would make his $11.9MM salary for 2016 fully guaranteed, San Francisco would still be able to trade him and at least get something in return, instead of releasing him prior to April 1 and netting no compensation.
- Of course, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, York’s comments could simply be a thinly-veiled attempt to restore some leverage to the 49ers in their efforts to deal Kaepernick, leverage that they may need even more now that the Texans and Browns are reportedly not interested in making a deal for the disgruntled signal-caller.
- Mike Klis of 9News.com tweets that the Broncos and Miller still have a lot of work to do before Tuesday’s franchise tag deadline, but he says that talks are still ongoing and the implication is that both sides are hopeful that a long-term deal can be struck before Denver is forced to use the tag. As Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post reported several days ago, Miller is motivated to reach an accord, and the two sides are not terribly far apart in their negotiations.
- Antonio Cromartie might not be garnering many national headlines at this point, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the veteran cornerback, who was recently released by the Jets, is expected to meet with the Bills. Buffalo head coach Rex Ryan is reportedly interested in a reunion with Cromartie, who played under Ryan in New York from 2011-2013 and who earned Pro Bowl nods in 2012 and 2013.
- Although he does not not explicitly say that Doug Martin is likely to leave the Buccaneers, as a report suggested a few days ago, Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times does confirm that Martin is likely to reach free agency.
Free Agent Rumors: Schwartz, Gipson, Texans, Fleener
The latest free agency rumors from around the NFL:
- There’s a belief at the combine that offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz will end up with a contract in the $8MM-per-year range, writes Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com. That would make Schwartz the second-richest right tackle in the league in terms of annual salary. The Eagles’ Lane Johnson ranks first at $11.25MM, though he’s expected to eventually shift to left tackle (normally the more lucrative position). Since the Browns took Schwartz in the second round of the 2012 draft, he has appeared in and started 64 straight games. For his work last season, the 26-year-old ranked sixth out of 77 qualifying tackles by Pro Football Focus’ standards (subscription required).
- Safety Tashaun Gipson, who has also been with the Browns since 2012, will garner plenty of interest on the market and should cash in, according to Pauline. Gipson has amassed 14 interceptions during his four seasons, including league-leading totals in both 2013 and ’14, and gone to one Pro Bowl. As of earlier this week, Browns executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown was hoping to lock up Gipson.
- The Texans have two important offensive linemen scheduled for free agency in center Ben Jones and guard Brandon Brooks, and they’re trying to re-sign both, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The team has met with both players’ agents at the combine, per Wilson. Jones has logged 16 starts in back-to-back years, while Brooks has combined for 44 over the last three seasons.
- The Colts aren’t in any rush to re-sign tight end Coby Fleener, per Pauline. Fleener is coming off his third straight 50-reception season, but his yards per catch dropped precipitously compared to 2014 (15.2 to 9.1), as did his touchdown total (eight to three).
Latest On Johnny Manziel
7:06pm: Dallas police didn’t arrest Manziel because they may not have had the necessary evidence to do so. Therefore, Crowley might have to testify before the grand jury, Cabot writes. As of now, there are multiple issues with the case, per Cabot: 1. Police weren’t able to question Manziel on the night of the incident because they couldn’t find him. 2. Crowley waited a week to file her complaint with police (she first secured a protective order).
4:25pm: The Dallas Police Department issued an update Thursday regarding its domestic violence case against Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel (link via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com).
“The investigation of the domestic violence assault involving Jonathan Manziel, which occurred on January 30, 2016, has been completed. Today, a Class A misdemeanor Assault/Domestic Violence case has been referred to the Dallas County District Attorney’s office for presentation to the grand jury.”
Dallas police added that they “will not release any details of the investigation while it is pending grand jury presentation.”
The grand jury will consider a misdemeanor assault charge, according to ESPN’s Michele Steele, who notes that offense is punishable for up to a year in jail and/or a fine (Twitter link).
Manziel’s ex-girlfriend, Colleen Crowley, filed a complaint alleging that he assaulted her and ruptured her eardrum during their Jan. 30 altercation. Crowley also stated in an affidavit that she told a valet at the Hotel ZaZa in Dallas that she was scared for her life, and that Manziel subsequently threw her in the passenger seat of his car. The Dallas PD has the video of Crowley’s encounter with the valet along with other surveillance, Pat McManamon of ESPN.com reported last Saturday.
Regardless of what happens with this case, Manziel’s tenure in Cleveland is on the verge of ending. The team will release him March 9, per Cabot.
Browns Rumors: Gordon, Mack, Benjamin
While new Browns head coach Hue Jackson took to the podium on Wednesday at the scouting combine in Indianapolis, it was new executive VP Sashi Brown who spoke to reporters on Thursday morning. Brown didn’t want to talk about quarterback Johnny Manziel, but he did address several other topics of interest. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights…
- According to Brown, there’s a spot on the roster for Josh Gordon as long as he’s doing the right things. Brown doesn’t expect to have clarity on Gordon’s status before free agency begins on March 9th, but he thinks the signs are pointing to the wide receiver being reinstated from his suspension (Twitter links via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com and Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal).
- Center Alex Mack, who can opt out of his contract anytime before March 4th, came in last week to discuss a possible contract extension, according to Brown, who believes that if Mack is going to remain in Cleveland, the two sides will probably have to work something out before that opt-out deadline (Twitter links via Cabot).
- Brown doesn’t expect the Browns to use the franchise or transition tag. If the team does use one or the other, safety Tashaun Gipson would be the top candidate, but Brown is hoping for a long-term deal with Gipson (Twitter link via Ulrich).
- The Browns met with Travis Benjamin‘s agent at the combine last night, according to Brown, who says talks between the two sides haven’t broken down (Twitter links via Cabot and Ulrich). Agent Ron Butler said earlier this week that he expects his client will reach the open market.
- Brown said today that the club apologized to pending free agents for taking a little extra time to open negotiations, since the organization spent the first part of the offseason wrapped up in a searches for coaches and front office additions (Twitter link via Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram).
NFLPA Announces Cap Carryover Amounts
The NFL Players Association issued a press release today announcing the salary cap carryover amounts for all 32 NFL teams for the 2016 season. The official salary cap amount for 2016 has yet to be announced by the league, but it’s expected to be in the neighborhood of $155MM+. When that figures becomes official, it can be added to each team’s carryover amount to determine that club’s official cap for 2016.
According to the press release, the Broncos, Rams, and the Saints are the only teams that opted not to carry over the full amount available to them, though none of those clubs are believed to have left significant amounts on the table.
Here are the salary cap carryover amounts for 2016, per the NFLPA, from highest to lowest:
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $32,774,928
- Tennessee Titans: $20,783,801
- Cleveland Browns: $20,734,144
- Oakland Raiders: $13,373,617
- San Francisco 49ers: $12,206,686
- New York Giants: $11,193,231
- Miami Dolphins: $9,137,544
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $7,987,748
- Cincinnati Bengals: $7,587,902
- Philadelphia Eagles: $7,255,362
- Green Bay Packers: $6,953,847
- Washington: $5,837,734
- Indianapolis Colts: $4,950,629
- Buffalo Bills: $4,467,331
- Atlanta Falcons: $3,905,771
- Carolina Panthers: $3,731,200
- Dallas Cowboys: $3,571,239
- Denver Broncos: $3,300,000
- Arizona Cardinals: $3,031,663
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $3,000,327
- Kansas City Chiefs: $2,622,838
- New York Jets: $2,484,216
- San Diego Chargers: $2,287,176
- Minnesota Vikings: $2,090,409
- Houston Texans: $1,637,055
- Baltimore Ravens: $1,633,944
- New Orleans Saints: $1,400,000
- New England Patriots: $1,347,882
- Los Angeles Rams: $933,521
- Chicago Bears: $867,589
- Detroit Lions: $862,191
- Seattle Seahawks: $11,587
Free Agent Rumors: Benjamin, Schwartz, CJ2K
Earlier today, we rounded up the latest updates on several current and pending free agents. With the combine underway in Indianapolis, there’s no shortage of news and rumors on free agency, so we’ve got another set of items to pass along already. Let’s dive in….
- According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via Twitter), word from the combine suggests that the Chargers and Falcons will be in the hunt for wide receiver Travis Benjamin, if and when he reaches free agency. Current Atlanta offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan used to hold that same position with the Browns, who have reportedly broken off talks with Benjamin for now.
- The Browns are making an effort to extend the contract of tackle Mitchell Schwartz, but he appears headed for the open market, writes Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. According to Cabot, Schwartz is believed to be seeking left tackle money, and while the Browns have made an offer, the two sides aren’t close to an agreement.
- The Dolphins would like to hang onto wide receiver Rishard Matthews, but if his price tag reaches $5MM+, Miami is unlikely to be seriously in the mix, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
- Cardinals GM Steve Keim said today that the team will talk to Chris Johnson‘s representatives this week at the combine, per James Palmer of the NFL Network (Twitter link). Johnson said on Tuesday that he would like to re-sign with Arizona.
- The odds of the Eagles getting something done with safety Walter Thurmond prior to the start of free agency next month don’t look great, according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News, who tweets that the team has not yet made an offer.
- The Cowboys will meet with the agent for linebacker Rolando McClain at the combine this week, per executive VP Stephen Jones (link via Todd Archer of ESPN.com). McClain is eligible for unrestricted free agency in March.