OTA Rumors: Peterson, Forte, A. Smith, Dez
With organized team activities getting underway this week, we’re keeping our eye on plenty of contract and roster situations around the NFL. Here are the latest updates on a few of those situations:
- Addressing Adrian Peterson‘s absence from OTAs, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer issued another strong statement today, telling reporters – including Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (Twitter link) – that the running back has two choices: “He can play for us or not play.” A report yesterday suggested that Peterson is actually considering that second option (retirement), though I noted at the time that it sounded like the 30-year-old’s camp trying to regain some leverage.
- After saying last week that he thought he had an idea of when Peterson would report to the Vikings, Zimmer admitted today that he has no idea when that’ll happen, tweets Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
- Matt Forte, who reportedly wants a new contract, is present at the Bears‘ OTAs, but said today that “nobody likes playing on a one-year deal” (Twitter link via Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com). As Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune tweets, Forte added, “They said we’re not talking about that type of [contract] stuff right now, so all I can do is play football.”
- Antonio Smith won’t participate in the Broncos‘ OTAs, as he continues to be investigated following a complaint of sexual child abuse, writes Mike Klis of 9NEWS. Although Smith has yet to be arrested or charged with a crime, the Broncos decided it would be “best for all involved” if the defensive lineman focuses on resolving his legal situation before reporting to the team.
- As expected, Dez Bryant isn’t in attendance for the Cowboys‘ OTAs. However, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets that the club has been in communication with the wideout. Earlier today, I asked whether Bryant will sign a long-term extension with Dallas before the July 15 deadline, and so far more than half of you have indicated that won’t happen.
Poll: Will Dez Bryant Sign Long-Term Deal?
The Cowboys’ signing of former first-round pick A.J. Jenkins yesterday drew some attention, but there’s a good chance that Dallas simply added Jenkins to its roster to help the team get through its offseason program. With Dez Bryant not expected to participate in OTAs, and his attendance for June’s minicamp still a question mark, Jenkins represents another healthy body at the wide receiver position, perhaps one with a little upside.
It’s possible that Bryant returns to fully participate in Dallas’ offseason program sooner rather than later, but that would likely require the two sides reaching resolution on his contract situation. Having been assigned the franchise tag, Bryant is in line to earn a one-year salary of $12.823MM if he signs his one-year contract tender, but he hasn’t done so yet.
Like most star players who are franchised, Bryant would presumably prefer to secure a long-term extension rather than going year to year with the Cowboys. However, while the 26-year-old’s on-field production leaves no question that he should be paid like one of the NFL’s top receivers, Dallas may still have lingering concerns about his history of off-field issues.
As Joel Corry of CBSSports.com noted last week when he took a look at Bryant’s situation, the Cowboys’ most recent publicly-reported contract offer looked massive at first glance, featuring a $114MM overall price tag. However, that offer was reportedly for 10 years, with just $20MM in guaranteed money. That’s a very team-friendly structure, considering consecutive franchise tags would pay Bryant significantly more than $25MM in guaranteed money, and would leave him in position to hit the open market at age 28.
Corry points out that the Cowboys are making the Bryant negotiations trickier for themselves by making concessions in contract agreements with other players whose off-field concerns were arguably more significant than Bryant’s — the club was willing to include a clause in Greg Hardy‘s contract that prevents him from being franchised, and La’el Collins‘ new deal doesn’t feature any offsets. Depending on how the negotiations with Bryant progress, the wideout’s camp may point to those deals and rightly argue that a player with Bryant’s track record (an average of 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns per year since 2012) should receive even more favorable terms.
With Julio Jones, Demaryius Thomas, and A.J. Green also in line for new deals this offseason, all four teams may be trying to wait out the market rather than setting it themselves. In Thomas’ and Bryant’s cases, a July 15 deadline looms — if no long-term contract is worked out by that point, signing the one-year franchise tag looks like the most likely outcome for both star receivers.
What do you think? Does Bryant sign a multiyear extension with the Cowboys within the next few weeks, or is it more probable that he plays out the year on his franchise tag?
NFC Notes: RGIII, Wilson, Hardy
Washington head coach Jay Gruden says he expects quarterback Robert Griffin III to make “significant strides” in 2015, as Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com writes. Gruden named Griffin the No. 1 quarterback entering the offseason back in February and earlier this month, he had his fifth-year option exercised for 2016. Tonight’s glance at the NFC..
- When asked how likely it is to get a deal done with Russell Wilson before camp, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said: “I don’t know that. Not talking about that right now,” Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times tweets. However, the coach did say that the two sides have been “very close” in how they have communicated (link).
- The NFLPA hired an outside firm to help represent Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy in his appeal on Wednesday, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets.
- David Moore of The Dallas Morning News doesn’t see Adrian Peterson winding up with the Cowboys. Moore always felt that Peterson coming to Dallas was possible, but that was tied into the draft. Now that the draft is in the rear view mirror, he doesn’t see it happening.
Minor Moves: Tuesday Night
Earlier today, we rounded up the day’s smaller transactions. Here are the latest minor moves..
- The Seahawks announced they have signed draft picks Frank Clark and Tyler Lockett to their rookie contracts, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times tweets. Seattle now has all of its picks under contract.
- The Cowboys officially signed third-round offensive lineman Chaz Green, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun tweets. With Green in the fold, only two picks remain unsigned for Dallas: cornerback Byron Jones and linebacker Damien Wilson.
- The Steelers removed wide receiver L’Damian Washington from injured reserve with an injury settlement, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
- The Browns have signed offensive lineman Eric Olsen and linebacker Mike Reilly, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal (on Twitter). Olsen, a four-year NFL vet, has appeared in 23 games with four starts over the course of his career. Reilly was a participant in Cleveland’s rookie minicamp.
- The Raiders have signed seventh-round cornerback Dexter McDonald. McDonald was selected 242nd overall by the Raiders in the 2015 NFL Draft. He played three seasons at Kansas, starting 24-of-31 games at cornerback.
East Notes: Hardy, Brady, Mathis
The appeal hearing for Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy will be conducted on Thursday morning with Harold Henderson in Washington D.C., according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Hardy was hit with a 10-game suspension earlier this offseason for his role in a domestic violence incident that took place roughly one year ago. Hardy 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. Here’s a look at the AFC and NFC East..
- The only thing delaying the date for Tom Brady‘s appeal is finding a date that works for both the Patriots quarterback and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Werder tweets.
- Evan Mathis was a no-show for start of Eagles OTAs, as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. The workouts, much like the previous programs that Mathis missed, are all voluntary. Mandatory minicamp starts on June 16th.
- The Jets promoted Matt Bazirgan to become the new pro personnel director, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Bazirgan, who has been with Jets since 2004, was an area scout for eight years before being promoted to assistant pro personnel director in 2013. Bazirgan replaces Brendan Prophett, who spent nine seasons as the head of the Jets’ pro personnel department.
Cowboys Sign A.J. Jenkins
12:07pm: The Cowboys have officially signed Jenkins, the team confirmed today in a press release.
11:53am: To make room on their roster for Jenkins, the Cowboys are waiving wide receiver Chris Boyd with an injured designation, tweets Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. Boyd spent some time last season on Dallas’ practice squad before signing a reserve/futures contract with the team in January.
10:08am: After signing Darren McFadden earlier this offseason, the Cowboys are adding another former first-round offensive playmaker to their roster, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, who tweets that A.J. Jenkins is signing with the team. Jenkins worked out for Dallas last week.
Like McFadden, Jenkins hasn’t lived up to his draft position so far in his NFL career, though the running back has at least seen plenty of playing time. After being selected 30th overall by the 49ers in 2012, Jenkins never recorded a single reception in San Francisco, and was traded to the Chiefs prior to the 2013 season. In two seasons in Kansas City, the Illinois product grabbed just 17 balls, and was cut back in February along with Donnie Avery.
While the Cowboys may still see some upside in Jenkins, it’s also possible that he’ll simply be a camp body, and won’t make the cut when teams reduce their rosters from 90 players to 53 at the end of the preseason.
Jenkins also worked out for the Jets this month.
East Notes: Hardy, Dolphins, Jets
Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel looked at the fine print of Ryan Tannehill‘s contract with the Dolphins and found that the total value is actually $95.3MM, not $96MM, as previously reported. The deal also protects the Dolphins in case they want to get out from under it. As Kelly notes, executive VP Dawn Aponte is keen on such protections, and that’s how they shed deals with Mike Wallace, Dannell Ellerbe, Philip Wheeler, Brian Hartline, Brandon Gibson, Randy Starks, Shelley Smith and Cortland Finnegan this offseason.
Here’s a look at the AFC and NFC East..
- In a recent chat, a reader asked Bob Sturm of The Dallas Morning News if he thinks the Cowboys will be able to afford Greg Hardy if he gets his suspension reduced and has a phenomenal (partial) season. If Hardy goes back to being a force who averages a sack per game, then he might price himself out of range for the Cowboys. Also, the presence of Randy Gregory might lessen their need for Hardy.
- There are several battles to watch on the Dolphins‘ roster, from jostling at the top of the depth chart to struggles over roster spots, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. At offensive guard, free agent pickups J.D. Walton, Jeff Linkenbach and Jacques McClendon are likely viewed as depth, with McClendon in particular far from a cinch to make the roster. Running back is also a position to watch as LaMichael James and Mike Gillislee are gunning for the fourth RB spot, though it’s not guaranteed that Miami will carry three backs.
- The Jets‘ hiring of former Packers scout Lee Gissendaner is another great move by the team, Gil Brandt of NFL.com tweets. Gissendaner will serve as a national college scout for Gang Green.
Extra Points: Cowboys, Schwartz, Peterson
Given what a pass-happy league the NFL has become, many linebackers are seeing the field less frequently, but that didn’t stop the Cowboys from loading up at the position this offseason, writes Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News. As executive vice president Stephen Jones explains, the focus on the position should give the Cowboys some depth in case some players with histories of injuries or off-field problems are forced out of action.
“We have some players there that have had issues in the past,” Jones said. “You want to make sure if something does happen that you have quality players there.”
Here’s more from around the NFL on this holiday Monday:
- Former Lions head coach and Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will serve as a consultant to the league’s officiating department during the 2015 season, reports Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. According to Marvez, Schwartz will help provide a coach’s perspective with some decisions made by the NFL’s officiating office. While Schwartz drew interest after being replaced in Buffalo, he decided to be judicious about choosing his next job, and may returning to coaching in 2016.
- While agent Ben Dogra didn’t offer any specifics on Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and his apparent plan to skip OTAs, he told Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) in a text message that his client “is very strong… he’s like [Darrelle] Revis.” As Cole notes, that may point toward an extended holdout for Peterson.
- A source tells Geoff Mosher of CSNBayArea.com that new Eagles scout Marty Barrett will patrol the West Coast as the club’s senior scout. Barrett’s move to Philadelphia, after 18 seasons with the Bears, was first reported by the Chicago Tribune.
NFC Mailbags: Washington, Packers, Panthers, Cowboys, Rams
We took a look at ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus over to the NFC…
- Scot McCloughan made no changes to the Washington front office following his hiring, but John Keim believes there could be a simple explanation for the lack of turnover. McCloughan seemed to have a good “rhythm” with those remaining in the front office, and Keim hypothesizes that if the GM wanted to make moves, his targets may have been unavailable.
- Despite Mike Neal‘s $4.25MM cap hit for 2015, Rob Demovsky says the Packers‘ linebacker is likely staying put. The 27-year-old was paid $1MM back in March, so if the team wanted to part ways with Neal, they likely would have done it earlier in the offseason.
- The Panthers and outside linebacker Thomas Davis have been having ongoing discussions regarding an extension, according to David Newton. The writer adds that he’d be “shocked beyond belief” if the two sides didn’t come to an agreement prior to training camp, and he notes that Davis could be in line for a two or three-year extension.
- Todd Archer was surprised that Cowboys assistant director of player personnel Will McClay‘s wasn’t mentioned more during the offseason GM searches. The writer wonders if other team’s want to see a larger body of work from McClay, who has only been running the Cowboys’ scouting department for a year.
- The Rams could easily turn to undrafted rookie Zach Laskey for their fullback spot, writes Nick Wagoner. However, it could be difficult to bump Cory Harkey from the role, and Wagoner believes the tight end will see the bulk of the fullback snaps in 2015.
East Notes: Richardson, Dareus, Cowboys
When PFR’s Zach Links passed along word earlier this week that Sheldon Richardson was absent from the Jets‘ practices, he noted that the defensive lineman probably wasn’t seeking a new contract, since he’s not even eligible to negotiate a new deal until after the season. That still appears to the case, and Richardson took to Twitter today to respond to critics, writing that he has “a life outside of football” and simply wanted to spend a little more time with his family.
Here’s more from across the NFL’s two East divisions:
- While Richardson isn’t eligible for a new contract with the Jets, his fellow defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson is, and the addition of Leonard Williams in the draft has made that situation murky. Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap takes a closer look at Wilkerson’s contract, concluding that the standout defender would probably be able to earn a bigger contract outside of New York, and may end up being the odd man out with the Jets.
- Marcell Dareus of the Bills is another AFC East defensive lineman seeking a contract extension, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Buffalo still wants to lock up Dareus to a long-term deal, preferably before training camp gets underway. Rapoport echoes something I wrote yesterday, suggesting that Dareus’ one-game suspension won’t have an adverse effect on extension talks.
- We heard yesterday that the Cowboys worked out a number of free agent running backs, including Ben Tate, Felix Jones, and Daniel Thomas. According to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the club also auditioned wide receivers B.J. Cunningham, Kris Durham, and Tommy Streeter.