East Notes: Dolphins, Wallace, Maclin, Bills
A possible contract extension for starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill will be a top priority for the Dolphins this offseason, but the club will also need to secure a backup, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. In Salguero’s view, considering Tannehill has been sacked more than any other QB in the league over the last two seasons, Miami will target a veteran backup who could potentially salvage the season if he were forced into action. Given his history with the team, free-agent-to-be Matt Moore may be the Dolphins’ best bet, but there should be no shortage of veteran alternatives on the market.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:
- Nothing is off limits this offseason for wide receiver Mike Wallace, including being retained, traded or released by the Dolphins. Mulling the idea of a Wallace trade, James Walker of ESPN.com names three potential suitors for the veteran wideout, identifying the Seahawks and Colts as the best fits.
- It doesn’t make much sense for Jeremy Maclin to sign a deal with the Eagles right now, writes Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com, pointing out that Maclin could end up being the best receiver on the market in a few weeks depending on how teams use their franchise tags. If Maclin were to sign an extension with Philadelphia now, he could short-change himself by millions – or tens of millions – during his best chance to “hit the jackpot.”
- Appearing on WGR 550 in Buffalo today, Bills head coach Rex Ryan indicated the team is keeping every option open in the search for an answer at quarterback. “We are in the evaluating stages. So, we’re looking,” Ryan said, per Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550. “We’ve got the draft coming up, free agency is coming up. You’re looking at all those type of things. Are there some scenarios out there, are there trade possibilities? You look at every possible scenario there is. From Doug Whaley all the way to our scouts, all our positional coaches… we’re looking at that. Believe me, we’ll be prepared for every scenario out there.“
- Andrew Brandt of TheMMQB.com makes 12 predictions for the coming offseason, forecasting that DeMarco Murray will return to the Cowboys on a team-friendly deal, Dallas will pay Dez Bryant a top-of-the-market multiyear contract, and Darrelle Revis will pass up a potentially bigger offer to return to the Patriots.
NFC East Notes: Rolle, Murray, Dez, Cox
Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio this week, Giants safety Antrel Rolle explained why he wants to return to New York, despite being eligible for free agency next month. As Rolle tells it, he feels like there’s unfinished business to take care of with the G-Men.
“I want to go back to the Giants for the mere fact that I feel like I still have work to do,” Rolle said. “No matter how good or bad the season may have been for myself, we’ve got one championship and I feel like that’s not enough. I feel like there’s more, obviously there’s more in the tank and I feel like there’s more that I need to provide as far as my services with that organization to try and help them win another title. That’s something that weighs heavy on my mind.”
Here’s more from around the NFC East:
- As he has said before, running back DeMarco Murray would like to stay with the Cowboys, and intends to remain in Dallas if he feels like the club gives him the best chance to win a Super Bowl. “Obviously I think they want me here,” Murray said Tuesday night, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com. “I want to be here. It’s just finding the … just what helps them, what helps me. Things like that. I think both sides want to be here, so I think we’ll see where it goes.” After being named the 2014 offensive player of the year and leading the NFL in rushing with 1,845 yards, Murray headlines this year’s free agent market for running backs, which I examined yesterday.
- As Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal wrote yesterday, Roc Nation Sports and CAA have ended their two-year partnership, as planned. That parting of ways would seem to come at an inopportune time for Dez Bryant, who is represented by Roc Nation’s Kimberly Miale and CAA’s Tom Condon. However, Miale tells Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News that she and Condon are still representing the Cowboys wideout as he nears free agency.
- Defensive lineman Fletcher Cox is exactly the sort of homegrown talent the Eagles should try to lock up and make a part of their long-term core, writes Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com in his look at the team’s defensive line situation. As a 2012 draftee, Cox is extension-eligible for the first time this offseason, though the club also holds a fifth-year option on him for 2016.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFC Notes: Falcons, Manning, Cowboys
The Falcons might not retain Steven Jackson, but they should strongly consider re-signing Antone Smith, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com writes. Smith’s 2014 season ended prematurely due to a broken leg, but not before he scored five touchdowns off of just 36 touches. Smith has the ability to make one cut and take it to the house, and that would be a great fit in Kyle Shanahan‘s system. More out of the NFC…
- Eli Manning has one more new contract in him but it may behoove the Giants to allow their franchise quarterback to play out his current deal. On Tuesday, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post looked at the pros and cons of a new deal for Manning. Earlier this week I examined a potential deal for Manning and the possible ramifications in could have on the rest of the roster as a part of the Giants’ offseason outlook.
- Monte Kiffin, who served as the Cowboys‘ assistant head coach and defensive consultant in 2014, will not be returning to the team for the 2015 season, sources tell Todd Archer of ESPN.com. However, Archer hears from a source that Kiffin, who turns 75 at the end of the month, would like to continue his coaching career in some capacity.
- The Cowboys should plan on keeping Joseph Randle for now, but they should cut bait if evidence from the pending legal investigation doesn’t go in his favor, Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News writes.
East Links: Giants, Murray, Eagles, Dolphins
As we heard last night, the Giants are expected to officially finalize their deal with former Calgary Stampeders offensive lineman Brett Jones at some point this week, and Jordan Raanan of NJ.com breaks down five things Giants fans should know about the CFL’s 2014 Offensive Lineman of the Year.
As of today, NFL teams can formally sign CFL players whose contracts with their 2014 teams have expired, so Jones likely won’t be the last player making the move south this week. Cornerback Delvin Breaux, wide receiver Duron Carter, and offensive lineman Ben Heenan are among the players who were released from their CFL contracts early and have already reached agreements with NFL teams.
Let’s round up a few more notes from around the league’s two East divisions….
- Lee Singer of ESPN.com lays out several reasons why the Cowboys should be careful when it comes to negotiating with free agent running back DeMarco Murray this offseason. Singer touches on the oft-repeated points related to Murray’s workload and the devaluation of the running back position, and also points out that the Cowboys have some internal candidates who could step up if they don’t re-sign Murray or bring in a veteran replacement.
- Re-signing Jeremy Maclin should be a top priority for the Eagles this winter, but coming to an agreement with the wideout may not be easy, says Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com in his preview of the club’s offseason. It may also be in Philadelphia’s best interest to bring back quarterback Mark Sanchez, in Fitzgerald’s view.
- Fitzgerald also takes a closer look at the contract extension that Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins may or may not be discussing, suggesting that – if it happens – it would be a deal that would benefit both sides.
Cowboys’ Jones Talks Murray, Bryant
Entering his 27th offseason in charge of the Cowboys, Jerry Jones faces one of his career’s biggest challenges in the coming weeks: finding a way to keep Tony Romo‘s two biggest weapons, DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant.
The Cowboys’ owner, president and general manager addressed this glaring issue Sunday with the Dallas Morning News’ Jon Machota. Dallas operates with a scant $7.4MM of cap room as of Sunday, per OverTheCap.com, and Bryant’s likely franchise tag will hover around the $13MM-per-year figure. As Pro Football Rumors mentioned in January, Murray already balked at Dallas’ four-year offer worth around $16MM — a pay increase from the $1.4MM Murray earned in his dominant fourth season in 2014 but one not on par with the highest-paid running backs in the league.
So as of now, the math is stacked against the Cowboys retaining two of the NFL’s top unrestricted free agents, and Jones knows it after seeing his team go through salary cap turmoil in recent years.
“You remember when that cap makes you poor and you wake up and have those days when you don’t have the money and don’t have the flexibility,” Jones said to Machota. “… If you can revisit how you felt, that will make you a little more prudent about this cap when you have had a lot of years when you really paid the piper.”
Although the mercurial Bryant’s future with the team appears secure after a no-nonsense 16-touchdown campaign in his contract year, a future without Murray, the NFL’s rushing leader with 1,845 yards and new holder of the all-time-touches-in-a-season standard with 499 in 18 games, appears likely for the Cowboys — even with the latest trouble surrounding primary backup Joseph Randle — barring some cap wizardry in the coming weeks.
East Notes: Wallace, Cowboys, Foles
The future of Dolphins receiver Mike Wallace has been up in the air virtually since the ink dried on the five-year, $60MM deal he signed with Miami in 2013. Even before the 2014 season began, we heard that Wallace could be on the trading block, and questions regarding his status with the team arose again within the past couple of weeks.
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Wallace and GM Dennis Hickey recently had a meal together, suggesting that Miami is open-minded about retaining Wallace and will not release him without first determining whether the situation is salvageable. Jackson breaks down the cap ramifications of whatever decision the team ultimately makes, noting that the Dolphins will absorb a $12.1MM cap hit if Wallace is on the team, $9.6MM if he is cut without a post-June 1 designation, $6.6MM if he is traded, and $5.2MM if he is cut with a post-June 1 designation (which also would entail a 2016 cap hit).
Now let’s take a look at a few more links from the league’s east divisions:
- Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com previews the Jets‘ quarterback options this offseason, writing that the team is likely to bring in a veteran quarterback and a rookie signal-caller to challenge Geno Smith. Cimini names Ryan Fitzpatrick as a particularly viable veteran option if he is released by the Texans. Fitzpatrick knows new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey‘s system well from the time the two spent together in Buffalo.
- Finding a way to retain both Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray is at the top of the Cowboys‘ priority list this offseason, but Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News writes that Dallas desperately needs to draft upgrades at every level of its defense. George goes on to examine the state of the team’s defensive line, linebackers, and secondary.
- Former Pro Bowl tackle Tra Thomas, who served as a coaching intern and offensive assistant coach with the Eagles for the past several seasons, says that the team needs a running quarterback in order to effectively run Chip Kelly‘s offense. As Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com notes, Thomas’ comment is interesting because “it is the closest thing the Eagles have had to a coach…coming out and saying [Kelly] needs a running quarterback,” and because the questions surrounding Nick Foles‘ status with the team are rooted in the fact that he is incapable of beating teams with his legs.
- Speaking of the Eagles‘ quarterback situation, NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock has said that former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota is a “projection” for every team in the league except Philadelphia (link via Tucker Bagley of PhillyMag.com).
- Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com examines the emphasis that new Washington GM Scot McCloughan will place on player development.
East Notes: Cowboys, Washington, Bills, Dolphins
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports that the lengthy collusion case between the NFL and NFLPA is nearing an end. The league and its Players Association agreed three years ago to hit the Cowboys and Washington with $46 million in cap penalties for spending wildly during the uncapped season in 2010. The union agreed to the deal in return for an increase in the NFL’s salary cap in 2012, but it still accused the league of collusion. According to Judge Michael Davis, who is presiding over the case, “The NFLPA has not demonstrated a colorable claim that the NFL improperly forced it to settle, or misled it as to the legal effect of the settlement. Furthermore, the NFLPA’s proffered evidence highlights the real concern that the NFLPA may use the opportunity for . . . discovery as an improper ‘fishing expedition’ to investigate the merits of its alleged collusion claim.”
The NFLPA will still have a chance to prove that the league acted in bad faith in 2011, but Florio believes that will be very difficult to do, which should soon lead to the end of the lawsuit.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:
- Mickey Spagnola of DallasCowboys.com writes that Dallas will face a difficult decision on whether to retain running back DeMarco Murray, who joins wide receiver Dez Bryant as one of two Cowboys stars scheduled to hit free agency.
- ESPN’s Mike Rodak took a look at the Bills’ safeties, writing that the position will be a “low” need for the team if it re-signs strong safety Da’Norris Searcy and keeps him alongside free safety Aaron Williams. If Searcy departs, Buffalo could add an outsider to the mix, according to Rodak, but he notes that the Bills have a potential in-house replacement in Duke Williams.
- ESPN’s James Walker profiled Dolphins free agent-to-be Jason Trusnik, a role-playing linebacker and special teams captain who has appeared in 64 straight games for Miami. Walker believes the Dolphins will try to keep Trusnik, and gives them a 70% chance of re-signing him.
La Canfora On Use Of The Franchise Tag
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports notes how the use of the franchise tag is trending downward. In 2013, only six players received either franchise or transition tags. This offseason, despite the hard work of Luke Adams to profile the candidates for the tag on each team, that number could drop to four.
La Canfora notes that his guess of four does not include the possibility of a team franchising a kicker or punter in lieu of another viable candidate.
While the Lions, Giants, Packers, and Dolphins each have a viable candidate, each team is unlikely to tag that player. Those four are expected to try to avoid the tag in the effort to retain their stars.
Although the number could drop to four, anything less than that would be a huge surprise. As far as La Canfora sees it, there are four sure things in terms of the franchise tag (all four of which Luke did pin down in his rundown of franchise tag candidates, for the record).
- Demaryius Thomas to the Broncos is an obvious choice, whether his quarterback in 2015 is Peyton Manning or Brock Osweiler. The case in Denver has another wrinkle, with La Canfora writing that if the team could come to an agreement on a long-term deal with Thomas, then tight end Julius Thomas will become a candidate to be franchised instead, albeit not the sure thing Demaryius is.
- Fellow superstar wide receiver Dez Bryant is another lock to be hit with the tag. The Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones could be afraid to commit long-term money to him, but would be happy to keep him on a year-to-year situation even at a high price. There was also some steam gaining for DeMarco Murray’s chances of being tagged, but Bryant is seen as the superior offensive weapon.
- On the defensive side of the ball, an already capped-out Chiefs team will place the franchise tag on Justin Houston. Houston’s tag number is not set in stone, with the team likely to tag him as an outside linebacker, Houston and his agent will push for the slightly higher defense end number which comes with an additional $1.6MM based on La Canfora’s projections. Houston could be considered a defensive end because he is primarily a pass rusher in the Kansas City defense. Either way, La Canfora believes they will have to tag him regardless of the number, despite the cap gymnastics they might have to do to afford him.
- Staying on defense, the Patriots will likely tag safety Devin McCourty as they continue to focus on signing Darrelle Revis to a long-term deal. After Revis, the team should be able to negotiate a deal to keep McCourty as well, and keep the top two players in a very good secondary together as head coach Bill Belichick looks for a fifth Super Bowl victory.
NFC East Notes: Bryant, JPP, Eagles, Locker
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com views the Cowboys as one of the four teams likely to use their franchise tag this offseason, identifying Dez Bryant – rather than DeMarco Murray – as the probable recipient. According to La Canfora, there is “trepidation” within the Cowboys’ front office about putting a ton of guaranteed money on the table for the star wideout, given his off-field history.
While La Canfora doesn’t include the Giants among the four clubs likely to use the franchise or transition tag this winter, he thinks the club will at least consider tagging Jason Pierre-Paul. However, he doesn’t see it happening since JPP has been streaky, and hasn’t always been able to stay on the field. The Giants don’t make use of their franchise tag too often, but Dan Graziano of ESPN.com believes it might be the best course of action for their standout defensive end.
Here’s more from around the NFC East:
- An agent tells Mark Eckel of NJ.com that he expects Chip Kelly and the Eagles to have interest in Jake Locker this winter in free agency. Philadelphia will be in the market for a signal-caller if the team decides not to bring back Mark Sanchez.
- Pierre Garcon‘s numbers took a hit in 2014 as DeSean Jackson cut into his targets and Washington’s quarterback situation deteriorated. Now, with Garcon on the books for the team’s second-largest 2015 cap hit, Mike Jones of the Washington Post examines how the wideout factors into Washington’s plans going forward.
- ESPN.com’s John Keim takes a look at a few other contract situations in Washington, as salary guarantee dates inch closer for wideout Andre Roberts, linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, and cornerback DeAngelo Hall.
East Notes: Harvin, Giants, Cowboys
If Percy Harvin remains on the Jets‘ roster after 3pm CT on the 10th day of the league year (March 19th), the Jets must give their fourth-round draft pick to the Seahawks. If the Jets release him before then, they owe the Seahawks a sixth-round choice. The Jets were smart to make that date March 19th, as Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes. That date gives them nine days to explore wide receiver options in free agency and gives them leverage when dealing with Harvin in renegotiation talks. If the Gang Green wants to re-work his deal and he declines, the team can keep him until March 18, meaning he’d miss the first wave of free agency — when the big money is doled out. More from the AFC and NFC East..
- A reader asked Dan Graziano of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter) if the Giants could have interest in tight end Jordan Cameron. That would be out of character for them, he says, since they don’t typically spend on that position.
- Bob Sturm of The Dallas Morning News says that the Cowboys should restructure Tony Romo‘s contract to improve this team’s offseason rather than stand pat in order to avoid dead money down the line. He also notes that the salary cap in 2018 could be skyhigh, so it doesn’t make sense to penny pinch with the finances of four years down the line in mind.
- More from Sturm, who writes that Joseph Randle‘s days as a member of the Cowboys is likely over. Randle was an interesting prospect, but he never got major minutes and that likely was a reflection on how they viewed his upside. Sturm never viewed Randle as a possible successor to star running back DeMarco Murray on the roster.
- The Cowboys bought Romo a ton of time this season thanks to their rebuilding of the offensive line, Rainer Sabin of The Dallas Morning News writes. Romo had an average of 2.84 seconds in the pocket in 2014, a marked improvement over the 2.64 seconds he had four years ago.