Extra Points: Hardy, J. Houston, JPP, Levitre
Arbitrator Harold Henderson’s ruling to reduce Greg Hardy‘s suspension from 10 games to four contains little in the way of clear logic, opines Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Instead of working off the old policy of a two-game ban for a domestic violence incident, or acknowledging that the new standard calls for a six-game suspension, Henderson did neither, per Florio, opting to seemingly create his own rule, simply stating that a ten games is “too much.” Had Henderson used the old statute as a basis for his decision, writes Florio, he would have had to explain how Hardy’s actions were twice as worse as those of Ray Rice, who was suspended two games after his domestic incident.
Here’s more from around the league…
- Assessing the status of the four unsigned franchise players, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) ranks them (most likely to least likely) work out a long-term deal with their respective club: Justin Houston, Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas, Jason Pierre-Paul. Cole gives JPP a zero percent chance of agreeing to an extension with the Giants given his injury concerns, but puts the chances of Houston reaching a deal with the Chiefs at 60%. Houston will discuss his contract with KC management this weekend.
- The four franchise-tagged players are among the NFL players who could stage holdouts during training camp in the coming weeks, according to Jason Fitzgerald of the Sporting News, who looks at some other situations where a holdout might occur. Eric Weddle, Michael Bennett, and his brother Martellus Bennett could all stay away from training camp unless their contract situation is resolved.
- Signed to a six-year. $46.8MM deal before the 2013 season, guard Andy Levitre has been a disappointment during his time with the Titans, but now that he feels completely healthy, he sees a turnaround on the horizon in 2015. “Knowing what I am capable of doing, and knowing I have done it in the past, I want to be able to get back to where I need to be to be successful,” Levitre told Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. “And to have that personal accomplishment means more to me than anything, and I think that will show to the coaches and the guys upstairs.”
NFLPA Looking Into Cowboys, Broncos
7:15pm: Suspicions in the matter stew from both the Cowboys and the Broncos refusing to use Calvin Johnson‘s contract with the Lions as a comparable during negotiations with Bryant and Thomas, respectively, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. That seems a little odd, as the total value of Johnson’s contract is nearly twice that of Mike Wallace, the second-highest paid receiver, and as Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap tweets, Megatron’s deal has always been viewed as an outlier. Nevertheless, Florio reports that the NFLPA believe it has reliable information that the two clubs involved “have been communicating to set, control, or manipulate the [receiver] market.”
Meanwhile, the Broncos say they have not been contacted by the NFLPA regarding this issue, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post.
5:48pm: Asked about the NFLPA’s investigation, a Cowboys source tells Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Telegram (Twitter link) there’s “nothing to it.” That’s what you’d expect to hear from a team source, though I wouldn’t be surprised if that turns out to indeed be the case.
3:59pm: With five days left for franchised players to negotiate multiyear contract agreements with their current teams, only two of the four unsigned franchise-tag recipients play the same position: Demaryius Thomas and Dez Bryant. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the NFL Players Association is reviewing information to determine whether the Broncos and Cowboys have colluded in regard to contract talks for their two star receivers.
Per Schefter, the NFLPA believes the Broncos and Cowboys were in contact about Thomas’ and Bryant’s contract situations, despite the fact that the the league’s collective bargaining agreement prohibits such contact. The NFLPA is investigating the situation to determine whether or not collusion did in fact occur, and when to potentially file a claim.
July 15 is the deadline for franchised players to sign long-term extensions with their teams — if no agreement is reached by that date, a player who received the franchise tag will have to play on a one-year deal in 2015, if he intends to play at all. Given the relatively similar statistical production posted by Bryant and Thomas – as well as Bengals wideout A.J. Green and Falcons receiver Julio Jones, who are playing on fifth-year options this year – there’s been a sense that everyone is waiting for one team to extend its star receiver to establish the market.
Of course, if one team were to lock up its receiver to a lucrative new extension that exceeds his expected worth, it could adversely affect negotiations for other teams locking to lock up their own wideouts, driving up the price. As such, it makes sense that the Cowboys and Broncos might want to discuss the situation with one another, though Schefter’s report doesn’t suggest there’s any hard evidence that happened.
Community Tailgate: 7/10/15
We’re still about two months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. Earlier this summer, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.
Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.
Today, we’ll focus on the afternoon’s big news and take a closer look at the reduction of Greg Hardy‘s suspension. After initially being banned for 10 games, the Cowboys defensive end had his suspension cut to four games today by arbitrator Harold Henderson, who said in a statement that 10 games was “simply too much of an increase over prior cases.”
Taking into account the details of Hardy’s domestic violence case, a mere four-game suspension sounds awfully light, especially considering Tom Brady is currently facing the same penalty for his possible involvement in DeflateGate, a case which lacked the sort of hard evidence available against Hardy. Of course, the two cases are wildly different, but it still isn’t a good look for the NFL that the two players are facing equal penalties.
On the other hand, Hardy’s domestic incident took place while the league’s old personal conduct policy was still in effect, and that policy called for a two-game suspension for this sort of violation. Throw in the fact that Hardy was forced out of action for 15 games in 2014, spending time on the commissioner’s exempt list while the legal process played out, and you could make a case that the four-game ban is still too much. Agent Drew Rosenhaus left the door open today for Hardy to continue to fight the suspension in court in an effort to reduce it to two games, though Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) says that’s unlikely to happen.
What do you think? Is a four-game suspension fair for Hardy? Should he and his camp drop their fight and accept the reduced penalty? And, on a somewhat related note, does today’s ruling alter your view of Brady’s appeal, and how Roger Goodell might rule in that case? Weigh in below in the comments section with your thoughts and opinions and the subject. We’re looking forward to hearing what you have to say!
Greg Hardy’s Suspension Cut To Four Games
2:34pm: Henderson has issued a statement to accompany his ruling, and Albert Breer of the NFL Network has the full text:
“After consideration of all the record evidence and arguments, I conclude that the Commissioner acted within his authority and properly exercised his discretion in finding that Hardy violated the NFL Personal Conduct Policy.
“I find that the conduct of Hardy clearly violates the letter and spirit of any version of the PCP since its inception, and of the NFL Constitution and Bylaws long before then. The egregious conduct exhibited here is indefensible in the NFL.
“However, ten games is simply too much, in my view, of an increase over prior cases without notice such as was done last year, when the ‘baseline’ for discipline in domestic violence or sexual assault cases was announced as a six-game suspension. Therefore, the discipline of Mr. Hardy hereby is modified to a suspension of four games; all other terms of the discipline letter remain in place.”
1:24pm: More than six weeks after the appeal hearing, arbitrator Harold Henderson has made his decision on Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy. According to NFL PR man Brian McCarthy (Twitter link), Hardy’s suspension has been upheld, but the penalty has been reduced from 10 games to four games.
As Albert Breer of the NFL Network observes (via Twitter), Hardy’s new suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy appears to represent a compromise between the league’s old policy and new policy. While the old policy called for a two-game ban, a domestic incident calls for a six-game suspension under the league’s new guidelines.
The incident for which Hardy is being suspended occurred when the NFL’s old personal conduct policy was still in place, but by the time the case was resolved and the league handed down its discipline, the new policy had been implemented, creating some confusion about how the case was handled.
While Henderson’s ruling looks like a big win on the surface for Hardy and the Cowboys, the defensive end and the NFLPA could still choose to file a lawsuit, challenging the decision in court. Earlier this week, we heard conflicting accounts on Hardy’s willingness to continue the fight, with one report suggesting he’d likely accept his suspension if it were reduced by a few games, while another report indicated he’d challenge the ban if it was for more than two games.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), agent Drew Rosenhaus said today that he’ll confer with Hardy, the NFLPA, and his lawyers before deciding whether or not to proceed with legal action.
For now, assuming Hardy accepts the four-game suspension, he’ll have the potential to earn up to about $10.628MM this season, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets. The 26-year-old’s contract has a modest base salary, but features up to $9.25MM in per-game roster bonuses and about $1.8MM in incentives. By getting his penalty reduced from 10 games to four games, Hardy will have the opportunity to earn nearly $3.5MM in extra per-game roster bonuses.
As a refresher, Hardy allegedly assaulted and threatened to kill ex-girlfriend Nicole Holder in May of 2014. After being found guilty by a judge, Hardy was scheduled to get a jury trial, but due to a lack of cooperation by Holder, the charges against the defensive end were ultimately dismissed, as he reached a civil settlement with his accuser. While the case played out, Hardy spent the 2014 season on the commissioner’s exempt list for the Panthers, missing all but one game. The Cowboys signed Hardy earlier this offseason before word of his suspension broke, and the new four-game ban is about what the team had initially expected.
With Hardy’s case resolved – barring further legal action from his camp and the NFLPA – the next appeal to be addressed is Tom Brady‘s. A decision on Brady could reportedly come as early as next week, though I wouldn’t be surprised if it took longer than that for Roger Goodell to make an announcement. Despite the drastic differences in their cases, the reduction of Hardy’s penalty might bode well for the Patriots quarterback.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Offseason In Review: Dallas Cowboys
After years of building up the unit, the Cowboys’ offensive line helped propel them to the top of the NFC East. Tony Romo, who has had his ups and downs in recent years, finished the year as the No. 6 quarterback in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). DeMarco Murray took advantage of those truck-sized holes created by the o-line and rushed his way to a career year. Dez Bryant cemented himself as one of the very best (if not the best) receivers in the NFL, lighting up opposing cornerbacks on a weekly basis. Meanwhile, the defense went from last in the league in 2013 to 19th overall in 2014 – not exactly the 1985 Bears, but a step up from being the “-Allas” Cowboys.
Now, the Cowboys will look to take a step forward in 2015 without the services of 2014’s top rusher.
Notable signings:
- Doug Free, T: Three years, $15MM. $6MM guaranteed.
- Cole Beasley, WR: Four years, $13.606MM. $5MM guaranteed.
- Jasper Brinkley, LB: Two years, $4.5MM. $2MM guaranteed.
- Andrew Gachkar, LB: Two years, $3.5MM. $1.2MM guaranteed.
- Chris Jones, P: Three years, $4.2 MM. $750K guaranteed. Accepted original-round RFA tender before working out longer deal.
- Rolando McClain, LB: One year, $3MM. $500K guaranteed. Features up to $1MM in incentives.
- Darren McFadden, RB: Two years, $3MM. $200K guaranteed. Features up to $2.85MM in incentives.
- Nick Hayden, DT: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
- Danny McCray, S: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
- Keith Rivers, LB: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
- Greg Hardy, DE: One year, $3.218MM. Features $9.25MM in per-game roster bonuses and $1.804MM in incentives.
- Lance Dunbar, RB: One year, $1.542MM. Accepted original-round RFA tender.
- Ray Agnew, FB: Two years, minimum salary.
- Tyler Clutts, FB: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- A.J. Jenkins, WR: One year, minimum salary.
It wouldn’t be a true Cowboys offseason with at least one splashy move and Dallas checked that box in March with the signing of former Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy. Hardy, who had 15 sacks in 2013 for the Panthers before missing most of the 2014 season, is currently slated to serve a whopping 10-game suspension. The 26-year-old made the Pro Bowl in 2013 after he compiled a career-high 15 sacks, and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him as the second-best overall defensive end in the league. He signed a $13.1MM deal for the 2014 season and wound up playing in just one game for that entire campaign. Now, he’ll earn a base of $3.218MM and the rest of his possible cash is heavily tied to incentives.
A day after losing Murray to Philly, the Cowboys agreed to terms on a two-year deal for former Raiders running back Darren McFadden. Outside of a 2010 campaign in which he posted 1,157 rushing yards and added another 507 yards through the air, the 27-year-old has never been able to stay healthy and put it all together for a full season. 2014 was the first year in which he played all 16 games for Oakland, but he was underwhelming, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry, his third straight season with a mark of 3.4 or lower. After accepting his original-round RFA tender, Lance Dunbar will also be on the depth chart at RB.
This time last year, no one knew what to expect out of Rolando McClain. The 25-year-old went on to record 87 tackles and a sack to go along with two interceptions in 13 games for the Cowboys in 2014. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked the former first-round pick eighth out of 60 qualified inside linebackers, and he excelled in every aspect of the game — PFF’s grades placed him eighth as a pass rusher, seventh as a cover man, and 11th as a run defender, among inside linebackers. Now, he’s back on a new deal, but he’s off to a bad start already with a four-game suspension looming. In addition to retaining McClain, the Cowboys added three notable free agent linebackers in Keith Rivers, Jasper Brinkley, and Andrew Gachkar.
Doug Free was set to become of the top offensive lineman available on the open market in 2015 but the Cowboys struck a deal with him in early March to keep him in Dallas. By re-signing Free, the Cowboys held together an offensive line widely regarded as the league’s best. The 31-year-old missed some time due to an ankle injury in 2014, snapping a streak of consecutive games played that had dated back to the 2009 season. The veteran has manned the right tackle spot in Dallas since 2012, when Smith first made the switch to the left side. Last season, he ranked 21st out of 84 qualified tackles, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required), performing particularly well as a run blocker for Murray.
Cole Beasley, 26, has developed into one of Tony Romo‘s more reliable targets over the last couple seasons and it was no surprise to see Dallas lock him up. In 2014, the SMU product set career highs with 420 receiving yards and four touchdowns, while totaling 37 receptions.
Notable losses:
- James Anderson, LB
- Josh Brent, DT: Retired
- Bruce Carter, LB
- Justin Durant, LB
- Dwayne Harris, WR
- Tony Hills, T
- Henry Melton, DT
- Sterling Moore, CB
- DeMarco Murray, RB
- Amobi Okoye, DT: Released
- Jermey Parnell, T
- George Selvie, DE
- Anthony Spencer, DE/OLB
- C.J. Spillman, S
- Dekoda Watson, LB: Released
DeMarco Murray had the best season of his career in 2014 but the Cowboys didn’t put up much of a fight to keep him in Dallas. Murray, who has struggled with injuries in years past, put it all together in 2014 for his best campaign yet. The 26-year-old ran for 1,845 yards and 13 scores with 2,261 all-purpose yards. The advanced numbers also showed that Murray was also at the top of the heap last season. Pro Football Focus‘ numbers (subscription required) resulted in an overall score of 15.2, placing him fifth amongst all tailbacks in 2014. His lack of meaningful production in the passing game, fumbles, and below average blocking were his only real demerits. The Cowboys will still get to see plenty of him in 2015 when he leads the way for the Eagles.
Bruce Carter, a former second-round choice, didn’t really live up to expectations in Dallas, but he was still a desirable free agent thanks to his freakish athleticism. Despite his underwhelming body of work, he still managed to land a four-year, $17MM deal from the Bucs this offseason. Carter was given a negative grade by Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in 2014 and ranked as just the 34th best outside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme out of 40 qualified players. In 13 games (with eight starts), the 27-year-old recorded 82 total tackles with an eye-popping five interceptions and one sack.
Fellow linebacker Justin Durant left in free agency to join new coach Dan Quinn in Atlanta. Durant spent 2014 with the Cowboys and missed 10 games with a torn bicep, amassing 49 tackles in six contests. Durant finished 17th out of 40 qualifiers in Pro Football Focus’ 4-3 OLB rankings. The Cowboys “hoped” to retain the 29-year-old, but he wound up joining the fourth team in his career.
Defensive tackle Henry Melton joined the Cowboys in 2014 and played well in part-time action, recording five sacks. However, the team decided not to pick up his pricey option for 2015 and beyond, making him a free agent in March. Melton, a former fourth-round pick, broke onto the scene with the Bears in 2010, when he finished with 13 tackles and 2.5 sacks. His best season in Chicago came in 2012, when he compiled 32 tackles and six sacks, earning him a trip to the Pro Bowl and a top-six spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings (subscription required) of defensive tackles.
Free started eleven games at right tackle for the Cowboys in 2014, but Parnell started seven, including the two playoff games while Free was out with injuries. In February, PFR’s Luke Adams looked at the market for prospective free agent offensive tackles and while Parnell didn’t land in the first tier with the likes of Free, Bryan Bulaga, King Dunlap, and Byron Bell, Parnell was in the second tier of attractive options thanks to his solid play in limited time as a starter. He wound up inking a five-year deal with the Jaguars.
Trades:
- Acquired a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 246; TE Geoff Swaim) from the 49ers in exchange for a 2016 sixth-round pick.
Extensions and restructures:
- Orlando Scandrick, CB: Signed a new contract that extended his contract by one year, through 2019, and gave him a $3MM signing bonus.
- Tony Romo, QB: Restructured contract to create $12.8MM in cap space for 2015, converting $16MM in base salary to a signing bonus.
- Tyron Smith, T: Restructured contract to create $8MM in cap space for 2015, converting $10MM in base salary to a signing bonus.
Scandrick still had four years remaining on his previous contract, but wasn’t happy with the terms of that deal, which called for him to make just $1.5MM in base salary in 2015. After initially not reporting to the Cowboys’ voluntary offseason workouts, the 28-year-old showed up in Dallas in May as a sign of good faith as the two sides negotiated a new contract. Scandrick ranked as the 10th-best cornerback in the NFL in 2014 out of 108 qualified players, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required).
In order to accommodate the re-signing McClain and additional forthcoming moves, the Cowboys created some extra cap space by restructuring Tony Romo‘s contract. The move saved the team nearly $13MM in cap space. Romo, 35, had been slated to count for $27.773MM against the cap in 2015, including a $17MM base salary. Tyron Smith also helped the Cowboys out by restructuring his deal. $10MM of his pay was converted to a signing bonus.f
Draft picks:
- 1-27: Byron Jones, CB (Connecticut): Signed
- 2-60: Randy Gregory, DE/OLB (Nebraska): Signed
- 3-91: Chaz Green, T (Florida): Signed
- 4-127: Damien Wilson, ILB (Minnesota): Signed
- 5-163: Ryan Russell, DE (Purdue): Signed
- 7-236: Mark Nzeocha, OLB (Wyoming): Signed
- 7-243: Laurence Gibson, T (Virginia Tech): Signed
- 7-246: Geoff Swaim, TE (Texas): Signed
Byron Jones was the Cowboys’ first pick of the draft but it was Randy Gregory who was the biggest name in Dallas’ haul this year. The Nebraska defensive end was widely pegged as a first-round pick, possibly even as a top 10 pick heading into the draft. However, after failing the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine drug test for marijuana, he fell to the backend of the second round where the Cowboys happily picked him up.
Other:
- Assigned WR Dez Bryant the franchise tag ($12.813MM).
- Signed head coach Jason Garrett to a five-year contract extension.
- Promoted Scott Linehan to replace Bill Callahan as offensive coordinator (Linehan called plays in 2014, but Callahan still held the formal OC title).
- Learned DE Greg Hardy would be suspended 10 games (personal conduct policy).
- Learned LB Rolando McClain would be suspended four games (substance abuse policy).
- Declined 2016 fifth-year option for CB Morris Claiborne ($11.082MM).
- Claimed CB Corey White off waivers from the Saints.
- Signed eight players to futures contracts at end of season.
- Signed 15 undrafted rookie free agents following draft, including T La’el Collins ($21K bonus).
The Cowboys and Dez Bryant continue to wrangle over a new contract, but in the interim the wide receiver is scheduled to play out the 2015 season on a ~$12.8MM deal.
Collins had been viewed as a likely first-round pick before he was connected to a murder investigation. He and his camp had asked if he could enter the supplemental draft instead, but that request was turned down by the NFL. Multiple reports also suggested that Collins would sit out a year if he was selected on day three in the draft, opting to re-enter the draft pool in 2016, in the hopes of being picked much higher. Ultimately, since he went undrafted, Collins’ options were limited. Shortly after visiting Jerry Jones, he agreed to join the Cowboys.
Top 10 cap hits for 2015:
- Tony Romo, QB: $14,973,000
- Dez Bryant, WR: $12,823,000
- Brandon Carr, CB: $12,717,000
- Jason Witten, TE: $8,512,000
- Sean Lee, LB: $5,450,000
- Morris Claiborne, CB: $5,175,069
- Miles Austin, WR: $5,106,200 (dead money)
- Tyron Smith, LT: $5,039,000
- Orlando Scandrick, CB: $4,382,271
- Doug Free, RT: $3,980,000 (dead money). Free also has a separate $3MM cap hit for his current contract.
The Cowboys didn’t have the most eventful offseason in the NFL but, then again, they really didn’t need to. The Cowboys look primed to make another run at the NFC East crown in 2015 and they’ll be extra scary if Hardy gets his suspension cut down in the coming weeks.
Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.
Latest On Dez Bryant Contract Talks
The Cowboys and wide receiver Dez Bryant have one more week to work out a multiyear agreement before the July 15 deadline comes and goes. If the two sides don’t strike a long-term deal by that deadline, Bryant will have to play on his one-year franchise tender in 2015, if he wants to play at all. Despite reports of positive movement in extension negotiations, it doesn’t appear that the two sides are close to an agreement for now. Here’s the latest:
- A league source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that no deal is imminent between Bryant and the Cowboys. “I don’t know where they get the optimism from,” the source said, referring to reports suggesting a deal could get done this week. “There’s literally nothing going on.” Florio also offers some theories about where the leaks of an impending deal are coming from, and how they might affect talks over the next week.
- Mike Fisher of 105.3 The Fan, who strongly suggested last week that a deal could come following the July 4th weekend, provides an update at Scout.com (subscription required). Fisher continues to suggest that there’s a level of “comfort” between the two sides, but adds that doesn’t necessarily mean that an agreement is close. Fisher expects both sides to roll up their sleeves and work toward getting something done by next Wednesday’s deadline.
Latest On Greg Hardy
It has been nearly six weeks since the appeal hearing for Greg Hardy‘s 10-game suspension ended, and arbitrator Harold Henderson has yet to announce a decision on whether or not the defensive end’s penalty will be upheld. While one report yesterday suggested that the prolonged appeal process was wearing down Hardy, reducing the likelihood of him continuing the legal battle, a source close to the defensive end tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that’s not the case.
“Greg has every intention of taking whatever legal steps are necessary,” the source told Florio. “Nothing has changed on our end.”
Although yesterday’s report from Jason Cole of Bleacher Report indicated that Hardy may accept his suspension if it were reduced by two to four games, Florio’s source suggests that the 26-year-old’s camp intends to take the NFL to court if the ban is for more than two games. As Florio notes, the league’s old personal conduct policy called for a two-game suspension for a domestic incident like Hardy’s, which took place before the NFL beefed up its discipline policy on domestic violence.
If Henderson upholds Hardy’s 10-game suspension, or only reduces it slightly, the NFLPA and Hardy could argue that the league shouldn’t apply its new conduct policy to an incident that occurred when the old policy was in place. Florio’s source also notes that the lengthy delay between the appeal hearing and a ruling could help Hardy, since he could argue that the NFL and Henderson dragged their feet in order to make it harder for the Cowboys pass rusher to get a final ruling from a federal court before the regular season begins.
For now, the wait continues on a decision from Henderson, who has been mulling Hardy’s appeal for 41 days and counting so far.
NFC East Notes: Hall, Cowboys, Crawford
Earlier tonight we learned that the Coral Springs PD is no longer investigating Giants defensive end Pierre-Paul for the fireworks incident, having determined it didn’t happen within their jurisdiction. However, it’s still possible that another police department could look into the incident. Meanwhile, Giants officials have been in South Florida since Monday night but still have not been able to visit JPP. As we continue to monitor that story, here’s a look at the NFC East..
- Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall says his rehab from a torn Achilles tendon is going well, but the 31-year-old stopped short of guaranteeing he’ll be full-go when training camp begins July 30th, as Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com writes. “I hope I’m ready to go the first day,” Hall said Tuesday on 106.7 the Fan. “When I say wean me back in, I know they are going to monitor me. I know they are not going to just throw me out there and [have me] take all the reps with the [first team]. I’m just going to get out there and see how the body feels.” This offseason, Hall agreed to a contract restructure that eliminated his 2015 salary guarantees. If Hall isn’t healthy when training camp rolls around, Washington could cut ties with him rather easily.
- Rainer Sabin of The Dallas Morning News ran down the players who are in contention to take the Cowboys‘ last defensive line spots and the players who are longshots. Defensive ends Jack Crawford, Ben Gardner, Ryan Russell, Ken Bishop and defensive tackles Davon Coleman and Chris Whaley are in the mix for those reserve spots. Meanwhile, Sabin views defensive ends Kenneth Boatright, Lavar Edwards, and Efe Obada as longshots.
- Cowboys defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford didn’t record his first sack until his 27th game and has only three to his credit since entering the league as a third-round draft pick in 2012. Still, thanks to his immense potential, there’s speculation that he could be in line for an extension as he enters the final year of his rookie deal, Sabin writes. For his part, Crawford would like to stay in Dallas. “This is definitely a place I like,” Crawford said. “I like the city. I like the program. I like everything this team’s doing – the ownership, coaches. It’s just great around here. I am just going to keep playing football.”
- Earlier tonight, we recapped Washington‘s offseason as a part of PFR’s ongoing Offseason In Review series.
Community Tailgate: Who Will Win The NFC East?
We’re still more than two months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. Earlier this summer, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.
Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.
Today, we’ll be looking at the NFC East. In that division, the Eagles may or may not have won the offseason, but they clearly won the battle for newspaper ink. All eyes were on coach Chip Kelly this offseason as he embarked on his first season with total control over his roster. Kelly shook things up in a major way when he shipped star running back LeSean McCoy to the Bills for linebacker Kiko Alonso, who is coming off of a lost 2014 season. To fill the void left by Shady, Kelly signed both DeMarco Murray and former Bolts back Ryan Mathews. Kelly downplayed his affinity for Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, but several reports indicated that he tried like hell to move up to get him. Ultimately, that plan didn’t work out and the Eagles will now pit Mark Sanchez against newcomer Sam Bradford for the No. 1 QB spot. Whoever is under center won’t have the luxury of throwing to Jeremy Maclin, however, as he left in free agency without much of a fight from Philly.
The Giants‘ defense was pretty atrocious in 2014 and they’re hoping that a reunion with Steve Spagnuolo will turn it all around. Perry Fewell appeared to lose his grip on things last season but Spags’ aggressive playcalling could help to fix what ails Big Blue. On offense, the Giants souped on their running game with the addition of former Patriots back Shane Vereen, a back that can make the most out of a run play and also catch the ball well out of the backfield. The biggest question mark for the Giants right now is probably the status of Jason Pierre-Paul, who injured himself in a fireworks mishap over the weekend. His future beyond 2015 is in jeopardy and now it sounds as though he might not be ready for the start of the season.
The Cowboys made a big offseason splash when they signed star defensive end Greg Hardy, but it’s currently unclear when he’ll be able to take the field. If the embattled ex-Panther can get his suspension slashed down to, say, four games, then Dallas will open the season with one of the more fearsome defenses in the NFL. Without him, 2014 second round selection DeMarcus Lawrence will be charged to lead the way for the team’s bookends. The impending return of linebacker Sean Lee should also go a long way for Dallas’ front seven. On the flipside, Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, and Jason Witten should continue to raise havoc against opposing defenses, though Dallas’ stable of running backs is chock full of question marks.
Can Washington turn things around in 2015 to capture the NFC East crown? Most pundits would say no, but a full season of Robert Griffin III under center with a capable offensive line could be a difference maker. On defense, Washington gave Chris Culliver a four-year, $32MM deal to help turn around one of the league’s most atrocious secondaries. The defensive line also got a makeover with the free agent additions of Stephen Paea, Ricky Jean-Francois, and Terrance Knighton.
All in all, who do you think will win the NFC East in 2015 and why? Let us know in the comments!
Cole’s Latest: Pierre-Paul, Jets, Hardy
Nearly two weeks ago, I identified a number of NFL storylines worth watching during the break between June minicamps and the start of training camps. Among those topics? Jason Pierre-Paul and his fellow franchised players, extension candidates like Muhammad Wilkerson, and suspension appeals for players like Greg Hardy. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report delves into all three of those storylines today, so let’s round up the highlights:
- According to Cole (video link), the Giants believe that Pierre-Paul “dodged a bullet” and that the hand injury he sustained over the weekend could’ve been worse. The team believes at this time that there’s no nerve damage in JPP’s hand that can’t be recovered from. However, the defensive end will likely undergo a skin graft procedure on his hand – if he hasn’t already – which is an uncommon health issue for an NFL player. Per Cole, the Giants are prepared to place Pierre-Paul on the non-football injury list to start the season, if necessary, which would sideline him for the first six weeks. We rounded up the rest of today’s JPP updates right here.
- Even before the NFL announced that Sheldon Richardson would be suspended for four games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, the Jets were concerned about eventually getting him locked up to an extension, says Cole (video link). The team considers Richardson a better player than Wilkerson, and initially preferred to extend Richardson, but his suspension, along with concern about his potential salary demands, may make Wilkerson the more likely extension candidate.
- Cole (video link) hears from sources close to Hardy that the Cowboys defensive end is losing his will to fight the NFL in regard to his 10-game suspension, having been worn down by a long legal process. If Hardy’s appeal results in his ban being reduced by two or four games, he may be willing to accept the penalty rather than continuing to fight the NFL by filing a lawsuit against the league.