Stephen Jones Talks Gregory, Hardy, FAs
Having initially expressed disappointment in Randy Gregory over his four-game suspension, Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones said today that the team wants to avoid the risk that “four becomes more” for the defensive end. In other words, the Cowboys want to ensure that there are no more failed tests for their 2015 second-round pick, since that would result in an even longer suspension.
With Gregory out for the first four games of the season, targeting pass rushers in free agency and/or the draft will become an even greater priority in Dallas. Jones spoke to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News about that topic, Gregory’s ban, and more. Here are the highlights from the Cowboys’ executive:
On Gregory’s four-game suspension:
“It’s disappointing, but at the same time, sometimes these things don’t get fixed overnight. Anybody who has ever been involved in this type of situation knows that sometimes it takes time. We’re there, but he’s going to have to buckle down, which he is. He’s working hard at it, but he’s got to get over the hump here.
“You have to be concerned. That’s the risk you get when you go there. It’s all about that risk-reward deal, but at the end of the day, we got the infrastructure in place to continue to help him. We think he’s utilizing it, but at the same time, it’s disappointing that we had this go far enough that it resulted in a suspension.”
On the possibility of re-signing Greg Hardy:
“[We are] still not finalized with where we’re going to come down on that.”
On upgrading the pass rush:
“We’ve just got to do everything we can. Obviously we tried hard last year. That will continue to be a focus. At the end of the day, that’s a big part of a successful football team, getting pressure on the passer. We’ve got some good players that can do it. We just need a couple more to go with [Demarcus] Lawrence and [Tyrone] Crawford and those guys.”
On the possibility of the Cowboys pursuing their first real big-money free agent since Brandon Carr:
“You never say never. You never know what player is going to be out there and how we feel about them. Obviously we’ve slowed down our spending in free agency. I think Brandon’s been a solid player, but at the end of the day, I’ve always thought that that’s what you end up doing in free agency, paying solid players like they’re All-Pro players. That’s the negative about the good ones in free agency, you tend to overpay because you’re competing. It’s a tough deal.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC Notes: C. Long, Randle, Lions, 49ers
Of the three veteran players the Rams parted ways with last week, Peter King of TheMMQB.com thinks defensive end Chris Long could be the one the team regrets releasing. According to King, Long – who turns 31 next month – is already being pursued by contending teams. However, it’s not clear yet whether the veteran pass rusher will sign quickly, since he and his wife are expecting their first child in the near future, says King.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- According to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, two Giants sources recently questioned wide receiver Rueben Randle‘s “work ethic and desire to be great.” Raanan estimates there’s only about a 15% chance of Randle re-signing with New York this winter.
- “The salary cap is not our enemy. It can be our friend,” Lions president Rod Wood said last week in an appearance on WMGC-FM in Detroit. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press passes along some other Wood quotes from that interview, and examines the state of the Lions’ salary cap as the new league year approaches.
- Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones expressed disappointment in defensive end Randy Gregory over his four-game suspension for a substance-abuse violation, as Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram details. However, the Cowboys should also shoulder some of the blame, since they knew what they were getting into when they drafted him and were responsible for helping to avoid repeating his failed combine drug test, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
- Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle takes a look at three key positions of need for the 49ers heading into this week’s draft combine, and considers potential targets for the club’s No. 7 overall pick.
NFC Notes: Cowboys, Boone, Okung, Vikes
The Cowboys were in need of pass-rushing help even before the NFL handed a four-game suspension to edge rusher Randy Gregory on Friday. Now, with Gregory out for the first quarter of next season and defensive end Demarcus Lawrence having undergone back surgery earlier this year, the Cowboys might be more inclined to re-sign Greg Hardy, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Hardy had a respectable six sacks in 12 games last season, but he was a headache off the field, and sources close to the 27-year-old told Jason Cole of Bleacher Report in January that Dallas was unlikely to bring him back. The Cowboys’ present circumstances could change that, however.
Here’s more from the NFC:
- The 49ers will discuss a new contract with Alex Boone‘s agents at next week’s scouting combine in Indianapolis, but chances are they won’t get a deal done before free agency opens March 9, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Boone has played his entire career with the 49ers since they signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2009, netting 59 starts – all of which came during the previous four years.
- There was a late-January report stating Seahawks left tackle Russell Okung, a pending free agent, would undergo surgery on his dislocated left shoulder. Okung confirmed to 710 ESPN Seattle on Thursday that the surgery is complete and he’ll face a four-month recovery period, according to Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. “It was something that I didn’t have to do, but decided to do just to mitigate any risks going forward,” the 28-year-old said.
- Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said earlier this week that next season would be pivotal in showing whether Cordarrelle Patterson is capable of being a viable NFL receiver going forward. Patterson agrees, telling Ben Goessling of ESPN.com, “If it don’t show this year it ain’t going to show at all. That’s all I can say about that.” The 2013 first-round pick pulled in a combined 78 receptions in his first two years, but he was barely involved in the Vikings’ offense last season and added just two catches.
Draft Notes: Cardinals, Bills, Cowboys, Jets
Clemson’s Shaq Lawson has been labeled as a likely top-15 pick in April’s draft, but it’s his teammate — edge rusher Kevin Dodd — who’s been drawing more praise from some NFL clubs, reports Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net. Several teams now have Dodd, who will perform defensive lineman drills at the combine but is also capable of playing outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, ranked ahead of Lawson. One club that could target Lawson on in Round 1 is the Cardinals, per Pauline, as Arizona is expected to prioritize both defensive ends and safeties during the early portion of the draft.
Let’s take a look at a few more draft notes, all courtesy of Pauline…
- If the Bills don’t select a quarterback early in the draft, they could grab Stanford signal-caller Kevin Hogan late, per Pauline. Buffalo met with Hogan at the Senior Bowl, and the club was apparently with both his athleticism and arm strength, as well as his “next level potential.”
- Michigan tight end A.J. Williams might not be selected in the draft, but he could end up being a priority free agent, as Pauline reports that both the Jets and Cowboys have to begun to show interest in the 6’5″, 270-pounder. It’s expected that Williams could act as a team’s third tight end in 2016, and be especially useful in the red zone.
- NFL teams are also impressed by the athleticism of another tight end, South Carolina’s Jerell Adams, and Pauline believes he could end up being the fourth tight end selected in the draft. Adams, a former basketball player, reportedly showed excellent blocking skills at the Senior Bowl.
- Boise State defensive end Kamalei Correa projects as a 3-4 outside linebacker in the pros, but some teams also believe could play inside, thanks not only to his versatility and presumably his movement skills, but also to his intangibles, which Pauline says NFL teams are increasingly valuing in middle linebackers.
Randy Gregory Suspended Four Games
Cowboys edge defender Randy Gregory has been suspended for the first four games of the 2016 NFL season for violating the league’s policy on substances of abuse, reports Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter). Gregory will be eligible to return for Dallas’ fifth regular-season game.
Gregory, 23, didn’t see a ton of action during his first NFL season — he was slowed by an early-season ankle sprain and ended up recording 11 tackles over the course of 250 defensive snaps. Viewed as a surefire first-round pick – and a potential top-10 selection – based on talent, Gregory slipped in last year’s draft to 60th overall, where he was snatched up by the Cowboys. Off-field concerns, including a failed drug test at the combine, contributed to his slide.
While Gregory didn’t make any off-field headlines during his first year in Dallas, he has apparently failed several drug tests, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport points out that the NFL’s drug policy calls for a two-game fine and then a four-game fine before a player is suspended.
With Gregory set to miss the first quarter of the season and Greg Hardy potentially departing in free agency, the Cowboys figure to be in the market for pass-rushing help this offseason, in free agency and/or the draft.
In addition to Gregory, another defender, Packers defensive tackle Mike Pennel, also received a four-game ban for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, tweets Jason Wilde of ESPN.com.
Pennel, 24, started five games for the Packers last season, recording 24 tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery on the year. Like Gregory, he won’t be eligible to return to action until the fifth game of his club’s regular-season schedule.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
East Notes: Wilkerson, Eagles, Cousins, Jets
The Jets reportedly intend to use their franchise tag on Muhammad Wilkerson within the next couple weeks, but that doesn’t mean Wilkerson won’t have suitors this offseason. Given the Jets’ depth at defensive end, the team is expected to at least listen to trade offers for Wilkerson, and it sounds like the standout defender wants to make it clear that he’s recovering from well from the broken leg that ended his season last month.
“Great visit w/ Dr. Anderson 2day in NC,” Wilkerson tweeted today. “Leg responded gr8, starting rehab ahead of schedule. Anxious to get to work. Thx for all the support!”
Wilkerson’s leg injury was never expected to sideline him for any of the 2016 season, but the fact that he’s ahead of schedule in the rehab process is a good sign for the Jets and for any teams that may be considering making a play for him in the coming weeks.
Let’s check in on several more updates from out of the NFL’s East divisions…
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Chase Daniel will be a “name to watch” this offseason for the Eagles. Daniel, a free-agent-to-be, has been previously linked to Philadelphia, due to the team’s hiring of former Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson. Rapoport suggests the Eagles’ new head coach views Daniels as “more than a backup.”
- John Keim of ESPN.com and Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports each examine the Kirk Cousins contract situation in Washington, with Keim suggesting the team must maintain future cap flexibility, with many other extension candidates on deck in a year or two. As for Garafolo, he still sees the franchise tag as the most likely outcome for Cousins, since the quarterback has far more leverage at this point than Washington does.
- Ryan Fitzpatrick isn’t a franchise quarterback, but he’s a great bridge option for the Jets, who must re-sign him, writes Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Cimini projects a three-year, $24MM pact, including $12MM guaranteed, for Fitzpatrick, whom the ESPN scribe expects to be back in New York next season.
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald expects the Dolphins to either lock up Olivier Vernon to a multiyear contract or use their franchise tag on him, since “it makes no sense” to allow a young pass rusher like Vernon to reach the open market.
- Although Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft has the Cowboys selecting Jared Goff with the No. 4 overall selection, Todd Archer of ESPN.com remains skeptical that Dallas will use that pick on a quarterback.
NFC Notes: Cowboys, Lynch, 49ers, Packers
There will be no intrigue or drama when it comes to the Cowboys‘ potential use of the franchise tag. Executive VP Stephen Jones announced Tuesday that the team won’t be using its franchise or transition tag, per David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. While Jones’ announcement is somewhat unusual, it’s not surprising — when Luke Adams examined potential 2016 franchise tag candidates on Monday, he didn’t mention a single Cowboy, even as a long shot.
Here’s more from the NFC:
- If Marshawn Lynch goes through with his retirement, he’ll owe the the Seahawks the $5MM signing bonus from the contract he signed last offseason. However, the team won’t ask for that money back, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- Within a look at the 49ers‘ offensive line situation, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes that there’s no timetable for offensive tackle Anthony Davis to file for reinstatement from the NFL’s reserve/retired list. There’s a belief that Davis will return to the Niners after taking a year away from the game. But even if he does, it shouldn’t affect the team’s offseason plan at the position much, as Maiocco notes there’s no guarantee Davis will return at the same level.
- The Packers have officially announced some changes to their coaching staff, according to ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky, who writes that they’ve hired Ben Sirmans as running backs coach, Brian Angelichio as tight ends coach, and Ejiro Evero as defensive quality control assistant. Sirmans, previously with the Rams, will replace Sam Gash. Angelichio, who was last with the Browns, will take over for Jerry Fontenot.
- Demovsky has a year-by-year breakdown of Letroy Guion‘s new contract with the Packers. The deal is heavy on bonus money with $50K in per-game roster bonuses plus another $1.7MM in roster and workout bonuses. Last season, Guion played under a one-year, $2.75MM pact.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
Staff Notes: 49ers, Washington, Rams, Cowboys, Vikes
The latest coaching staff updates from around the NFL:
- The 49ers’ Chip Kelly is hiring Dana Bible as a senior advisor, according to ESPN’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link). Bible’s last NFL experience came as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator in 1998. He hasn’t worked since 2012, when he was an assistant at North Carolina State.
- Washington has hired Kevin Carberry as assistant offensive line coach and Shane Waldron as offensive quality control, Tarik El-Bashir of CSNMidAtlantic.com tweets.
- The Rams hired former Georgia tight ends coach John Lilly to the same position, sources tell Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Cowboys are hiring Michigan defensive backs coach Greg Jackson to coach the safeties while Joe Baker will coach cornerbacks, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
- The Vikings have named Brent Salazar their strength and conditioning coach, Chris Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. Salazar was previously the Chiefs’ assistant strength coach for nine seasons. He’s replacing the fired Evan Marcus in Minnesota.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
NFC East Notes: Bradford, Giants, Cowboys
Earlier this month, an ESPN report indicated that the Eagles were not expected to use their franchise tag to lock up quarterback Sam Bradford. At the time, Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News said the team had yet to make a decision on Bradford. However, with the franchise-tag window opening today, Bowen now agrees that the Eagles “don’t seem wed” to the QB to the extent that they’d dedicate nearly $20MM in 2016 cap space to him via the franchise or transition tag.
While the Eagles appear unwilling to use their franchise tag on Bradford, they still may re-sign him. If the two sides don’t work out a new deal prior to March 9th, the former first overall pick will hit the open market, and Philadelphia may have to address its quarterback situation with a free agent or a draft pick — or both.
Here’s more from around the NFC East:
- Like their division rivals in Philadelphia, the Giants aren’t particularly likely to use the franchise tag. If they do, the top candidate will probably be kicker Josh Brown, as James Kratch of NJ.com outlines. Still, Kratch thinks the club can find a middle ground between Brown’s $1MM 2015 salary, and the projected franchise salary for kickers (around $4.5MM).
- The Cowboys need a cornerback, but David Moore of The Dallas Morning News isn’t so sure that they should use their No. 4 pick to fill that hole. For starters, Dallas has used a first-round pick on a cornerback twice in the last eight years, selecting Mike Jenkins and Morris Claiborne, and those picks haven’t worked out. Beyond that, Moore points to elite corners like Chris Harris and Josh Norman as evidence that plenty of top CBs can be found in the later rounds.
- The Giants are taking a look at two players from overseas, according to NFL Draft Diamonds, which reports that tight end Harry Innis and wide receiver Anthony Dablé are working out for New York. Per NFL Draft Diamonds, both players – who have excelled in European leagues – have drawn NFL interest from multiple teams.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Extra Points: Forte, Raji, Cowboys, Bears, Bucs
Soon-to-be ex-Bears running back Matt Forte will be “lucky” to get more than $4MM annually on his next contract, sources tell Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Forte, 30, was informed earlier today that he won’t be re-signed by Chicago, so he’ll be looking for a new club when free agency begins month.
That new club could be in New York, writes Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post, as either the Jets or Giants could show interest in Forte. The Jets have far less cap space (as Seth Walder of the New York Daily News noted earlier today), but more of a need at running back, as Chris Ivory is expected to move on. The Giants, meanwhile, possess a great deal of cap room, but aren’t as good a fit for Forte.
Let’s take a look at more from around the league:
- Packers defensive lineman B.J. Raji called the new three-year deal signed by teammate Letroy Guion “well-deserved,” but admitted he’s not sure if – or how – it affects his potential future with the team, writes Ryan Wood of PackersNews.com. Green Bay has not yet initiated contract talks for Raji, the free-agent-to-be tells Wood.
- The Cowboys‘ extensive search for Jerome Henderson‘s replacement continues, as Alex Marvez of FOX Sports tweets that Dallas interviewed Buccaneers cornerbacks coach Gill Byrd for the team’s defensive backs coach position. Byrd joins Mike Gillhamer, Steve Brown, Joe Baker, Tim Lewis, and Mike Nolan as candidates who have spoken to the Cowboys about the secondary coach job.
- Former Rutgers offensive coordinator Ben McDaniels is headed back to the NFL, as he’ll join the Bears‘ offensive staff, per Thayer Evans of Sports Illustrated (no word on McDaniels’ official title). McDaniels, the brother of Patriots play-caller Josh McDaniels, had previously worked with both the Buccaneers and the Broncos.
- The Buccaneers seem intent on bringing in competition for kicker Connor Barth, as Tampa worked out Josh Scobee, Nate Freese, Mike Meyer, and Cameron Starke today, tweets Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. Barth converted 23-of-28 field goal attempts in 2015, with two of those misses coming from beyond 50 yards.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.