NFC Notes: Randle, Guion, Lions, Peterson
As first reported by KAKE.com, Cowboys running back Joseph Randle was arrested in Wichita early this morning on a drug charge after officers responsded to a call and found marijuana in his hotel room. Randle’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, contended (via Twitter) that his client was simply cited with a ticket rather than being arrested, but Wichita police says it’s still considered an arrest even though Randle wasn’t taken into custody, tweets David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. As Joel Corry of CBSSports.com points out (via Twitter), Randle’s latest off-field incident may have the side effect of giving DeMarco Murray some leverage in contract negotiations with the Cowboys this winter.
Another arrest that could have an effect on free agency leads off this afternoon’s NFC notes — let’s dive in….
- Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion, a prospective free agent, was arrested for possession of marijuana in Starke, Florida late Tuesday night, reports Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. The timing of the incident was unfortunate for Guion, who had been engaged in talks with the Packers about a long-term deal, and had just been the subject of a glowing article from Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com. Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter links) has more details on what police found on Guion, including a firearm, $190K+ in U.S. currency, and 357 grams of marijuana.
- Ron Zook, who worked as the Packers‘ assistant special teams coach this past season, is the favorite to become the club’s new special teams coordinator, writes Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- The Lions may have a need at cornerback if they don’t re-sign Rashean Mathis, and veteran Charles Tillman of the division-rival Bears wouldn’t rule out the possibility of heading to Detroit, writes Kyle Meinke of MLive.com.
- Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press previews Friday’s federal court hearing, which will pit suspended Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and the NFLPA against the NFL.
Extra Points: Tannehill, Foles, Bryant
Former Creative Artists Agency employee Ben Dogra is now the co-CEO of the football division at Relativity Sports, as Darren Heitner of Forbes.com writes. As of September 26, Dogra was on record as representing 39 players signed to NFL deals, but it’s not clear how many he’ll be taking over with him. Dogra will share duties with contract advisor Eugene Parker, an interesting twist since the two men were bitter rivals for nearly two decades in the business. More from around the NFL..
- There is a lot of work for the Dolphins to do this offseason, but their biggest decision might be how to handle the contract situation of starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill, James Walker of ESPN.com writes. Miami could trigger Tannehill’s expensive fifth-year team option at $15MM, work out a long-term extension, or roll the dice and wait it out with the QB. The $15MM option is obviously steep, but Miami could theoretically justify it by contrasting it to Tannehill’s $2.117MM salary for 2015. Averaged out, that’s just $8.5MM per year.
- Sheil Kapadia of Philadelphia Magazine looked at the Eagles‘ quarterback spot. There has been buzz that the Eagles will replace quarterback Nick Foles with Marcus Mariota, but it seems like a longshot that they can move up to No. 1 to grab the Oregon product. Instead, Kapadia sees Foles staying while the Eagles bring in a new backup to replace Mark Sanchez and a developmental prospect to replace Matt Barkley.
- Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News is optimistic when it comes to the Cowboys‘ chances of keeping their two star free agents. He’s about 100% certain that Dez Bryant will be back in Dallas and 70-75% on DeMarco Murray.
- The Patriots announced that special teams coordinator Scott O’Brien is retiring and assistant coach Joe Judge has been elevated to his role, according to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (on Twitter).
- The Eagles announced (on Twitter) that Matthew Harper will be the team’s new assistant defensive backs coach while Michael Clay will be the new assistant special teams coach. The Eagles (link) also hired Princeton’s inside linebackers coach Stephen Thomas to be the team’s defensive quality control coach.
- Alabama Director of Football Operations, Joe Pannunzio, is also headed to the Eagles, according to Aaron Suttles of The Tuscaloosa News (on Twitter).
East Notes: Revis, Washington, Butler, Jets
Cornerback Darrelle Revis technically remains under contract with the Patriots for a second season for now, but with a $25MM cap hit looming, it seems awfully unlikely that the star corner will actually play out the second year of that deal, despite recent reports that suggest the Pats will consider picking up the option. If Revis were to become a free agent, he’d be one of the most coveted players on the market, but would he be the top defender available? Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press asked seven current or former players whether they’d prefer to sign Revis or Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, and Suh narrowly edged Revis, by a 4-3 margin.
Here’s more from around the league’s two East divisions:
- Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com and John Keim of ESPN.com each take a look at Washington‘s offseason today, with Tandler delving into GM Scot McCloughan‘s potential approach to free agency, while Keim identifies a few players who could become cap casualties this winter.
- In addition to saving the Super Bowl with his last-minute interception on Sunday, Patriots defensive back Malcolm Butler practically saved Derek Simpson’s career as an agent as well, writes Natalie Pierre of AL.com. As Pierre explains, Butler was Simpson’s only client in three years to sign an NFL contract and stick on a 53-man roster, saving the agent from having to restart the certification process.
- Former Jets tight ends coach Steve Hagen has shifted to assistant special teams coach on Todd Bowles‘ staff, a source tells Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (Twitter link).
- ESPN.com’s Todd Archer examines how a possible lucrative contract extension for Marshawn Lynch could affect the stock of Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray this offseason.
2015 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates: NFC East
The deadline for assigning a franchise or transition tag on a 2015 free-agent-to-be is less than a month away, and we’re in the process of taking a look at players who are candidates to be tagged this year. Last week, we examined all four AFC divisions, covering the East, North, South, and West. This week, we’re shifting our focus to the NFC, starting with the East. Here’s a breakdown of the franchise and transition tag candidates for Dallas, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington:
Dallas Cowboys:
- Candidates: Dez Bryant, DeMarco Murray
- Odds of being used: Likely
- Rolando McClain, another Cowboys free-agent-to-be, might be a viable candidate for a tag at another position, but as an inside linebacker, he’d be subject to the pricier franchise salary assigned to an outside linebacker, making it too expensive to really consider. That leaves Bryant and Murray as possible candidates, and it seems probable that one of the two will receive a tag. Bryant, who will be Dallas’ No. 1 priority in free agency, is the likelier option, but if he and the Cowboys work out a long-term extension within the next few weeks, it would make sense to consider franchising Murray.
New York Giants:
- Candidates: Jason Pierre-Paul
- Odds of being used: Possible
- Pierre-Paul came on strong in the season’s second half, increasing his overall sack total to 12.5. JPP was having a good year even without the sacks, playing particularly well against the run, but that sack figure is what improved his earning potential as he neared free agency. A former first-round pick, Pierre-Paul only turns 26 this month, and has a chance to be the best pass rusher to reach the open market, depending on what happens with Ndamukong Suh and Justin Houston. That’s a valuable asset to keep around, so if the Giants can’t work out a long-term deal with him, franchising him could be the team’s best course of action.
Philadelphia Eagles:
- Candidates: Jeremy Maclin, Brandon Graham
- Odds of being used: Possible
- Maclin perhaps isn’t in the same tier as top free-agent-to-be wideouts Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas, but he certainly should head up the second tier, along with Randall Cobb. A year ago, Maclin turned down a five-year offer from the Eagles, choosing to bet on himself with a one-year contract that could significantly increase the value of a multiyear deal this offseason. That decision paid off, as the 26-year-old posted career highs in receptions (85), receiving yards (1,318), and touchdowns (10), and now it might be the Eagles that prefer to just stick to one year. If it comes down to having to offer Maclin a five-year, $50MM+ deal or locking him up at the franchise salary for one year, the club may favor the latter. As for Graham, he’s probably not a truly realistic candidate for a tag, since he still hasn’t become more than a part-time player in Philadelphia, but when he sees the field, he has played very well — Pro Football Focus (subscription required) had Graham down for 53 total quarterback pressures this year in just 524 defensive snaps, ranking him as the league’s third-best 3-4 outside linebacker.
Washington:
- Candidates: Brian Orakpo
- Odds of being used: Very unlikely
- As I observed when I discussed the Steelers and Jason Worilds, if a team is willing to tag a player once, and he plays well in the following season, it makes sense to at least consider it again. In Orakpo’s case though, the edge defender was struggling even before a torn pectoral wiped out the second half of his season, recording just 0.5 sacks in his first seven games. 2014 second-round pick Trent Murphy is a younger, cheaper alternative to Orakpo, so more likely than not, Washington will simply let Orakpo walk if he wants a lucrative deal.
NFC Links: Seahawks, Dez, Evans, Washington
Seahawks safety Earl Thomas suffered a dislocated shoulder during the NFC Championship, and according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter), the player will seek a second opinion on the injury. Regardless of the 25-year-old’s decision, Rapoport believes the All-Pro safety is heading towards surgery.
Meanwhile, ‘Hawks coach Pete Carroll confirmed that cornerback Richard Sherman will need to undergo Tommy John surgery for his injured left elbow (via the team’s Twitter account). Carroll also mentioned that cornerback Jeremy Lane has a “significant” broken arm.
If there’s a bright side, it doesn’t sound like the injuries will impact the team next season. According to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (via Twitter), Carroll doesn’t believe any of injuries will prevent the trio from being ready for 2015.
Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFC…
- Wide receiver Dez Bryant is confident that he will get a long-term deal done with the Cowboys. “Regardless, I’m a Cowboy,” Bryant told NBCDFW.com, according to Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk. “But it is what it is. It’s business. I am a free agent. I’m very confident that something is going to happen, something is going to get done, and have these Cowboys fans excited for a long time. I’m a Cowboy at heart. It’s Cowboys forever.”
- Saints guard Jahri Evans played the second half of the season with a partially torn triangular fibrocartilage complex in his wrist, tweets Lyons Yellin of WWL-TV in Louisana. The reporter adds that the player underwent surgery in early January and is expected to be ready for OTAs.
- CSNWashington.com insiders Tarik El-Bashir and Rich Tandler discussed whether veteran linebacker Brian Orakpo would be back with Washington next season. Ultimately, the writers decided it’s best for the franchise to move on from the 28-year-old, with El-Bashir citing the player’s injury history and Tandler noting the team’s need for a younger playmaker at linebacker.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFC East Notes: Dez, Cowboys, Eagles, McCoy
Speaking at a charity basketball game yesterday, Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant seemed confident that he and his representatives could work out a new deal with Dallas. “It’s business. I am a free agent,” said the impending free agent, via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “I’m very confident that something is going to happen, something is going to get done, and have these Cowboys fans excited for a long time.” Bryant is presumably looking for a deal with a $12-14MM AAV, but he’s also a strong candidate for the franchise tag.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- Running back Ryan Williams signed a two-year extension with the Cowboys that guaranteed him $240K, but that doesn’t mean he’s a lock for next year’s 53-man roster even if DeMarco Murray leaves via free agency, writes Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Williams was “caught in a numbers game” last year, and the same thing could happen in 2015, adds Archer.
- There’s no room in the Eagles’ front office for Howie Roseman, opines Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. Roseman was technically promoted in Philadelphia’s recent FO shakeup, but he was stripped of his power in personnel matters. Now that Ed Marynowitz has been given more control over personnel decisions, there’s no need for Roseman, and his $1.7MM salary to stick around, per Frank.
- Andrew Kulp of CSNPhilly.com assesses the Eagles’ salary cap situation, and outlines that the club should have the room to keep both LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin. McCoy recently indicated he would not be willing to accept a pay cut, while Maclin, like Kulp, believes Philly can keep both him and Shady.
East Notes: Kraft, Revis, Cowboys
As the Patriots prepare to represent the AFC East in the Super Bowl tonight, let’s take a look at some notes regarding the Pats, their division rivals, and a few items from the NFC East:
- Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com writes that the league’s handling of “Deflategate” has thawed the relationship between Roger Goodell and Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who has been one of the commissioner’s biggest supporters and who publicly backed Goodell during the Ray Rice fiasco. Reiss notes that, if Goodell were to lose Kraft’s support, his hold on the commissioner’s job could become a bit more tenuous.
- ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Patriots star corner Darrelle Revis will be courted not only by his current team this offseason–after New England inevitably declines his 2015 option–but he expects the Bills and Jets to be in on Revis as well. Joel Corry tweets that Revis will have a great deal of leverage, as the Patriots cannot put the franchise tag on him if they decline the 2015 option.
- Jets owner Woody Johnson received the Steinberg DeNicola Humanitarian Award on Saturday, and before receiving the award, he provided a few clues to his team’s offseason plans. In response to criticism he received earlier this week, when he announced that the Jets would be aggressive in free agency, Johnson stated that although he was not afraid to spend money on free agents, he would not waste money. He specifically mentioned cornerback and strong safety as positions that could be addressed in the free agent market, and he also touched on a possible extension for Muhammad Wilkerson and the team’s quarterback situation (article via Brian Costello of the New York Post).
- If Washington is to become competitive again in the NFC East, Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com says new GM Scot McCloughan must move away from the team’s historic reliance on big-ticket free agents.
- After hearing that the Seahawks have offered Marshawn Lynch a lucrative extension, Joel Corry tweets that the Cowboys will have to substantially increase their offer to DeMarco Murray if they are serious about keeping him.
- Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News looked at the Cowboys linebacker situation in 2015, both with and without impending free agent Rolando McClain. Fortunately for Dallas, Anthony Hitchens showed that he can play any of the linebacker spots in his rookie season. If McClain comes back, he’ll play in the middle and Sean Lee will be on the weakside. If McClain doesn’t come back, Machota thinks it will be Lee in the middle with Justin Durant/Hitchens on the weakside.
- More from Machota, who writes that he’d be surprised if Cowboys wide receiver Cole Beasley, a restricted free agent, gets plucked away by another team. Linebacker Bruce Carter, however, is a different story. Carter has freakish athleticism and he was a projected first round choice in 2011. There could be teams out there that believe they can better utilize his abilities than Dallas has, perhaps by making him an inside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.
Zach Links contributed to this post
DeMarco Murray Wins OPOY
Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray was named the 2014 Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year, as Mike Klis of The Denver Post tweets. Murray received the honor at Saturday night’s NFL Honors award show.
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. After a season in which he showed that he can stay healthy, produce (4.7 YPC), and work at a nearly unprecedented rate, Murray is set to hit the open market where he could potentially cash in big.
Recently, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report heard from sources that Murray should command between $7-10MM annually on a new deal. At this point, Dallas seems unwilling to go that high. Earlier this month, a report from Ian Rapoport of NFL.com indicated that Dallas’ latest offer came in at about $4MM per season, which probably won’t get it done.
Our latest edition of the 2015 Free Agent Power Rankings have Murray outside of the top 10. In a November poll, PFR readers said that embattled tailback Adrian Peterson would be a better option for the Cowboys in 2015 than Murray.
East Notes: Cowboys, Foles, Wilson
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones won executive of the year because he stepped aside and let Will McClay, Jason Garrett, Stephen Jones, and his staff make most of his decisions, Bob Sturm of The Dallas Morning News writes. That notion might make some people roll their eyes, but you can’t argue with the results. More from the AFC and NFC East..
- Nick Foles hears the trade talk, but he believes he’ll be with the Eagles in 2015, writes Eliot Shorr-Parks of the Star-Ledger. “Yeah you hear about it,” Foles said. “You are going to hear about it every single year. That’s just part of it. The main word is ‘rumor.’ You can’t put too much into it….I plan on being in Philly.”
- Safety Jimmy Wilson, an unrestricted free agent, brings a lot to the Dolphins due to his versatility, James Walker of ESPN.com writes. Wilson developed in the Dolphins’ system and they know his value better than outside teams and Walker expects Miami to make a solid push to bring him back next season. Wilson started seven games at safety due to injury (Louis Delmas) and suspension (Reshad Jones) and six as the team’s nickel cornerback, which is a valuable position in Miami’s defense.
- Jonathan Casillas and Akeem Ayers are gearing up for the Super Bowl, but they would be watching it from their respective homes had they not landed with the Patriots via trades in 2014, writes Jimmy Toscano of CSNNE.com. Ayers was acquired by the Patriots on October 22 from the Titans, and less than a week later, Casillas came over in another trade from the Bucs.
Cowboys Notes: Romo, Williams, Murray
Tonight’s look at the Cowboys..
- Recently there has been a lot of talk about the Cowboys restructuring the contract of Tony Romo for salary cap flexibility, and Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap runs down the team’s options. Romo has the highest cap charge in the NFL in 2015 at $27.77MM and bringing that figure down would make it easier for the Cowboys to re-sign Dez Bryant, one of their lineman, and either re-sign DeMarco Murray or acquire Adrian Peterson. The Cowboys could turn to a few different variations, including a max restructure ( reducing Romo’s base salary to the absolute minimum and converting the ~$16MM balance to a signing bonus) and moving a portion of Romo’s 2015 base salary to 2016.
- The two-year futures contract that the Cowboys gave to Ryan Williams could have an impact on their offseason plans at running back, as Clarence E. Hill Jr of the Star-Telegram writes. Williams spent all season on the taxi squad in 2014, but his $240K signing bonus is probably a sign that he’ll be in the mix at tailback in 2015. He won’t be a DeMarco Murray replacement if the star leaves in free agency, but he could be part of the equation at the position that right now includes 2014 backups Joseph Randle and Lance Dunbar. There is a real good chance the Cowboys might not tender Dunbar a restricted free-agent contract offer because it comes with a $1.575MM price tag – a steep price for someone who had 99 yards on 29 carries and no touchdowns in 2014.
- Murray bet on himself before the season began and turned down the Cowboys offer of an extension. His gamble paid off, as David Moore of The Dallas Morning News writes. Now, he says that he’s not stressing too much about his future and whether or not it’ll be in Dallas. “I’ll let my agent handle all that,’’ Murray said. “It’s only been two or three weeks since the season ended. I’m still relaxing and whatnot.’’