Agent: No Talks Yet For Dez, Cowboys
As expected, wide receiver Dez Bryant wasn’t in attendance today when the Cowboys’ June minicamp got underway. While the minicamp is mandatory, Bryant has yet to sign his franchise tender, meaning he’s not technically under contract with the team and therefore won’t be subject to fines for his absence.
While the Cowboys’ minicamp got started without Bryant, his agent, Tom Condon, appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio to discuss the state of extension negotiations with the club. According to Condon (Twitter link), those talks are nonexistent at the moment, as there have been no conversations with the club regarding a new contract for his client.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that the Cowboys won’t eventually reopen discussions with Bryant and Condon. The team has until July 15 to work out a long-term contract agreement with its No. 1 receiver, and negotiations between clubs and franchised players typically go down to the wire.
Condon added (Twitter link) that – based on his conversations with his client – Bryant is willing to miss regular season games if he’s unhappy with the negotiations between the two sides. As I noted when this rumor first surfaced last week, it’s hard to imagine the Pro Bowl wideout following through on that threat, since the deadline for a long-term deal is next month. While Bryant may try to use some leverage to negotiate more favorable terms on his one-year contract, he won’t be able to sign a multiyear pact until after the season unless the two sides get something done by July 15.
For his part, Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said today that he’s not worried about the talk of a Bryant holdout, suggesting that those rumors are being floated by others (Twitter link via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). Of course, Bryant himself said last Friday, “This is no rumor; it’s legit.” Do you buy it, or are you as skeptical as Garrett appears to be?
East Notes: Mathis, Flynn, Bills, McClain
Speaking to reporters today, Eagles head coach Chip Kelly addressed the team’s release of Pro Bowl guard Evan Mathis for the first time, explaining that Mathis’ agent asked multiple times for his client’s release. According to Kelly (all Twitter links), the club didn’t intend to alter Mathis’ contract, so after discussing all the possibilities, Philadelphia decided to let him go if he didn’t want to be there. The Eagles waited as long as they could to explore trade possibilities and to see how the draft and free agency played out before cutting the offensive lineman last week.
Kelly’s explanation doesn’t come as a real surprise, though I’m still somewhat skeptical that the Eagles couldn’t secure even a late-round pick for Mathis. It’s also worth noting that, in a similar situation, the Vikings didn’t give in to Adrian Peterson‘s agent demands, and now Peterson is saying all the right things as he prepares to play for Minnesota in 2015 without a reworked contract. The Eagles could’ve held their ground with Mathis, but it’s clear that Kelly prefers not to keep a player on the roster if he doesn’t view that player as a culture fit for his club.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:
- The NFLPA saw no wrongdoing on the Eagles‘ part regarding Mathis’ release, which was viewed as a contractual decision, so the team has been cleared, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network.
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun has the details on Matt Flynn‘s one-year contract with the Patriots, tweeting that the quarterback gets a $20K signing bonus and a $60K roster bonus on his minimum salary benefit deal.
- Former Seahawks offensive lineman Nate Isles is trying out for the Bills today, per Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Isles, who signed a futures contract with Seattle at season’s end, was cut by the team last month.
- Offensive linemen Seantrel Henderson and Chris Williams aren’t in attendance for the Bills‘ first day of mandatory minicamp, according to Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News (Twitter links).
- Linebacker Rolando McClain was one of the Cowboys‘ best bargains last season, and he could be again in 2015, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. As Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets, McClain has reported to Dallas’ minicamp after being absent from earlier offseason activities.
NFC East Notes: Mathis, JPP, Cowboys
Former Giants running back David Wilson significantly improved his performance in the triple jump but still fell short of the qualifying standard for the U.S. championships, as The Associated Press writes. The former first-round draft pick had to retire from the NFL after two seasons due to a neck injury but is now trying to reinvent himself as a track and field athlete. While he has fallen short of nationals on this go ’round, he could still have future opportunities as he’s only 24 years of age. Here’s a glance at the NFC East..
East Notes: Hardy, Manning, Bills, Dolphins
It’s been a busy day of news around the NFL, as most teams around the league prepare to begin their mandatory June minicamps. However, we don’t want to let any odds and ends slip through the cracks, so let’s turn our attention to the two East divisions and round up the latest items….
- As of this morning, arbitrator Harold Henderson had yet to officially make a decision on Greg Hardy‘s appeal of his 10-game suspension, tweets Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The hearing for the Cowboys defensive end took place way back on May 28, so an announcement should come any day now.
- Eli Manning has yet to sign a contract extension with the Giants, but Dan Graziano of ESPN.com believes that a significant injury is the only thing that would creating a parting of ways between the two-time Super Bowl MVP and the team after the 2015 season.
- With the Bills having been mentioned as a potential suitor for free agent guard Evan Mathis, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com takes a look at how much cap room the team could clear by parting ways with guard Chris Williams.
- Stepping in this week for Peter King, Jenny Vrentas of TheMMQB.com examines Mike Tannenbaum‘s first offseason with the Dolphins, writing that the team’s new executive VP of football operations hasn’t been afraid to keep his foot down on the gas pedal.
Dez, Houston, JPP Won’t Be At Minicamp
When the Broncos held their mandatory June minicamp last week, franchised wide receiver Demaryius Thomas wasn’t in attendance. Thomas is one of four players who received the franchise tag but have yet to sign their tenders, and the other three appears set to follow his lead this week. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Dez Bryant, Justin Houston, and Jason Pierre-Paul won’t report to their respective clubs’ minicamp on Tuesday.
Houston’s anticipated absence from the Chiefs’ minicamp is perhaps the least surprising of the three. Head coach Andy Reid indicated last week that the NFL’s reigning sack leader “probably” wouldn’t be in attendance this week. After Ndamukong Suh signed a record-setting deal with the Dolphins in March, Houston’s asking price likely increased, and there’s no indication yet that he and the Chiefs are anywhere close to an agreement.
Bryant, meanwhile, made a brief cameo at the Cowboys’ OTAs, a hint that perhaps he’d report sooner rather than later. However, a Friday report suggested that he was shifting to a more hard-line negotiating stance, threatening to sit out Dallas’ regular season opener if he and the club haven’t agreed to a multiyear extension by that point.
As for Pierre-Paul, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin had stressed in recent weeks that he expected the veteran pass rusher to attend the team’s June minicamp, but it looks like Coughlin’s prediction won’t come to fruition. The fact that JPP – like Thomas, Houston, and Bryant – has yet to sign his franchise tender means he isn’t subject to fines for missing this week’s supposedly “mandatory” minicamp, since he isn’t technically under contract.
All four franchise-tag players have a month to work out long-term extensions with their respective teams. If a franchised player doesn’t have a multiyear deal in place by July 15, he’ll have to play the 2015 season on a one-year contract, if he plays at all.
Extra Points: Clowney, Charles, Nelson, Carr
Some assorted notes from around the NFL as we wrap up the weekend…
- Jadeveon Clowney‘s rookie campaign was cut short by injuries, but Texans head coach Bill O’Brien is confident the first-overall pick will be fully healthy by the start of the season. “I think he’s gonna be there for the opening game against Kansas City,” O’Brien told Michael Silver of NFL.com. “I think he’s going to make it back, and I’m really looking forward to that. He’s working very hard to get back.”
- While Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles has struggled through assorted injuries during his career, the 28-year-old is optimistic that he can play at least another half-decade in the NFL. “(The game) has changed,” Charles told Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star. “They’ve got all kinds of technology now, all kinds of medicine people have come up with to stay healthy. At the end of the day, an ACL you couldn’t play (with), it was the end of a career. Now they’ve got all kinds of things that you can be back in like five or four months. The future is changing, football is changing, sports are just changing…I want to play another six years, so my form is to keep on taking my diet. I’m seeing guys at 37 or 38 still playing football in the trenches, and that’s somewhere where you don’t want to play.”
- Packers wideout Jordy Nelson told Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that his recovery from hip surgery is on track (Twitter link). The receiver noted that he received no warning prior to playing a softball game, indicating that the injury is no longer an issue. “Not a single person said anything,” Nelson said. “I was kind of shocked.”
- Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News believes if cornerback Brandon Carr doesn’t live up to his salary in 2015, the Cowboys shouldn’t have any issue cutting him. The team will have a better idea of Bryon Jones‘ talents, and they’ll also get a year to evaluate the oft-injured Morris Claiborne.
NFC East Notes: Mathis, Pot Roast, Cowboys
Evan Mathis is likely to interest several clubs in the coming weeks/days, but don’t expect the Giants to be among them, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. It’s not that New York couldn’t use help at guard, according to Raanan, but that Big Blue won’t fork over the kind of financial commitment that Mathis will likely be looking for. After signing their two remaining unsigned draft picks, the Giants will have less than $5MM in cap space to use, meaning Mathis is probably out of their price range.
Here’s more from the NFC:
- Calling himself the biggest steal in free agency, Washington defensive tackle Terrance Knighton plans to score big on the open market after his current one-year deal expires. “…I’ve always bet on myself,” Knighton told Don Banks of Sports Illustrated. “I consider myself a premier player in this league, and I’ve got a lot of football left. This will be my seventh season, so when I hit the table again, there won’t be any excuses next time.”
- More Mathis: Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer examines the veteran guard’s release, arguing that the move was just the latest transaction proving that Chip Kelly is remaking the Eagles as he sees fit.
- In his latest mailbag at ESPN.com, Todd Archer answers several Cowboys-related queries, including whether Dallas will aim to improve the interior of its defensive line, the potential impact of Terrance Williams, and the club’s depth chart at receiver.
Extra Points: Bills, Mathis, Hilton, Gregory
After adding a pair of potential starters in free agent Richie Incognito and third-round pick John Miller earlier this offseason, Bills head coach Rex Ryan is content with his offensive guards. However, that won’t necessarily stop the team from trying to improve at the position. That improvement could come in the form of 10-year veteran Evan Mathis, whom the Eagles cut earlier this week.
“I think he’s a good football player; there’s no doubt,” Ryan said of Mathis, according to ESPN’s Mike Rodak. “We’ll do our due diligence, so to speak, but I’m pretty happy with our guards.”
If the Bills do pursue Mathis, their cap situation ($6.1MM in space, not including practice-squad signings and in-season injury replacements) could serve as a hindrance, Rodak notes.
More from around the NFL…
- Colts star wide receiver T.Y. Hilton is entering the final year of his contract, but he isn’t concerned about his long-term future. “If they want to pay me, they’ll pay me,” said Hilton, per Blake Schuster of the Indianapolis Star. “It takes both sides to come to an agreement. I leave that up to my agent and just go out there and have fun.” The 25-year-old Hilton, who has back-to-back seasons of 80-plus catches and 1,000-plus yards, will cash in soon with either the Colts or another club.
- Don’t expect the Cowboys to use second-round pick Randy Gregory as more than a pass-rushing defensive end, writes Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. The Cowboys don’t want Gregory dropping into coverage, per Machota, who also notes that Gregory will have to continue adding bulk in order to hold up against the run.
- Jaguars receiver Allen Hurns went from undrafted free agent to solid contributor last year partly because he was able to capitalize on injuries to his fellow Jags wideouts. With Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson, Bryan Walters and Damien Copeland slowed by injuries during organized team activities, Hurns once again took advantage of his situation as a healthy member of the Jags’ offense, according to Ryan O’Halloran of Jacksonville.com. The fact that Hurns has been on the field learning new coordinator Greg Olson’s system could give him a leg up as he competes with his teammates for playing time. “I just feel really good in this system,” said Hurns. “[Greg Olson] has done a great job of opening things up to letting us run different routes. It’s a fun offense to play in.”
NFC Notes: AP, Bridgewater, Dotson, Cowboys
Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater had a solid rookie year despite being without the services of six-time Pro Bowl running back Adrian Peterson, who missed all but one game in 2014 because of domestic-violence issues. The newly reinstated Peterson is hoping his return will help Bridgewater’s game reach new heights this season.
“Hopefully my presence will be able to lose a guy or two by bringing guys in that focus on stopping the run,” Peterson said, per ESPN’s Tania Ganguli.
Peterson won’t just aid Bridgewater as a runner, but he’s expecting to be a useful option in the passing game.
“With coach [Norv] Turner’s offense, there’s so much that he throws out there, so I’ll be more involved in the pass game, being out wide, presenting myself for Teddy to check down,” said the 30-year-old.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Buccaneers right tackle Demar Dotson is optimistic that ending his brief holdout and reporting to minicamp next week will help him get the new contract he’s seeking. “I think we can get a deal done pretty quickly,” Dotson said, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. “We were pretty close before. I’m hoping if I show up we can get it done. I really don’t want to miss any workouts or training camp.” Dotson, 29, has two years remaining on his contract, but he’s just the 22nd-highest-paid right tackle in the NFL. That doesn’t jibe with his on-field performance, as Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked the six-year veteran an impressive 28th among 84 qualifying offensive tackles last season.
- Thanks to DeMarco Murray‘s departure in free agency, the Cowboys don’t have a clear No. 1 running back as the summer nears, but offensive coordinator Scott Linehan believes someone – be it Darren McFadden, Joseph Randle or Ryan Williams – will separate himself from the pack and earn the job as the team’s go-to ball carrier. “I think before it’s all said and done, that person will rise to the top. What’s interesting and exciting is that we’re going to find out,” said Linehan, according to Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News.
- When asked if the Lions’ addition of Garrett Gilbert meant that backup quarterback Dan Orlovsky could be on the way out, Dave Birkett of MLive.com responded that the chances of that happening are slim (via Twitter).
Rob DiRe contributed to this post.
Dez Bryant Considering Sitting Out Opener
7:12PM: For anyone who doesn’t believe that Bryant is serious about missing actual game time during this contract dispute, the superstar wide receiver is doing what he can to make it convincing. “This is no rumor; it’s legit,” Bryant told Michael Silver of NFL.com (via Twitter).
2:41PM: The Cowboys and Dez Bryant still have more than a month to work out a long-term contract, but if the two sides don’t strike a deal by the July 15 deadline, the star receiver will consider not reporting to the team for its regular-season opener, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com.
While the Cowboys’ decision-makers, including executive VP Stephen Jones, have said publicly that they want to get a multiyear extension done with Bryant this year, the team hasn’t been aggressive about pursuing a deal, Mortensen suggests. Joel Corry of CBSSports.com hints at this as well, tweeting that he can’t blame Bryant for taking an aggressive approach to contract discussions, given the Cowboys’ negotiating stance, “or lack thereof.”
Bryant, 26, received the franchise tag from Dallas earlier this year, which includes a one-year contract offer worth $12.823MM. Like most of 2015’s other franchised players, Bryant has yet to sign that tender, meaning he’s not subject to fines if he misses the Cowboys’ mandatory minicamp next week, or training camp later this summer.
Still, Bryant did make an appearance at one of the club’s OTA sessions, and participated in individual drills. It’s hard to imagine him sitting out a regular season game due to his contract situation, particularly since his options will be limited if no deal is reached by July 15. After that date, teams aren’t permitted to sign franchised players to long-term contracts until after the season.
In my view, this is simply a negotiating tactic and an attempt to regain some leverage for Bryant, who could push the Cowboys to modify his one-year tender offer even if the two sides don’t reach a long-term agreement. Dallas’ deal with Greg Hardy featured a clause that doesn’t allow the team to use its franchise tag on the defensive end in 2016, and Bryant may attempt to get a similar clause in his own one-year contract, barring a multiyear extension.