NFC Mailbags: Panthers, Peppers, Beatty, Reese
We took a look at ESPN’s AFC mailbags earlier today. Let’s check out what ESPN’s NFC writers had to say…
- David Newton thinks it’s pretty clear that the Panthers will focus on their offensive line in the upcoming draft. Meanwhile, he doesn’t expect the team to consider a running back until at least the third or fourth round.
- If Julius Peppers return to the Packers next season, it would have to be with a restructured contract, writes Rob Demovsky.
- Todd Archer says that Jerry Jones certainly deserves some credit for the Cowboys‘ success this season.
- Dan Graziano writes that the Giants will have an interesting decision to make this offseason with left tackle Will Beatty. If the team decides to part ways with the former second-rounder, they could target an offensive lineman in the draft or free agency.
- Graziano clarifies that Giants general manager Jerry Reese is not on the hot seat and is not in any danger of losing his job.
Cowboys Links: Okoye, Sam, Murray
Amobi Okoye practiced for the first time yesterday, and the clock has officially begun ticking. The Cowboys have three weeks to decide whether they want to activate the former first-rounder or keep him on the reserve/non-football injury list.
Regardless, practicing was a big step in the right direction for the 27-year-old. Okoye is recovering from anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, a brain condition that causes memory loss and seizures. This resulted in Okoye spending three months in a coma last year. Following such a traumatic experience, the defensive tackle was thrilled to return to the field (via Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com)…
“It was good, it was worth it,” said Okoye. “It was mixed emotions. It felt like it naturally was coming back. I’ve played six years in the league [and], it doesn’t take too long for stuff to come back to you.”
Linebacker Bruce Carter was impressed by his teammate’s determination to return to the game…
“He’s been through a lot,” Carter said. “His story is amazing. A guy like that who works real hard, I see him all the time working [with strength and conditioning coordinator Mike Woicik] one-on-one. Just to see him actually working with [us] and see it pay off is a great thing. I think he’s going to do great things for us.”
Let’s see what else is happening in the Cowboys organization…
- Owner Jerry Jones attributed the release of Michael Sam to “a numbers game,” tweets Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com. Jones clarified that Sam was great at practice and worked “very, very hard.”
- Members of the Cowboys’ 2013 draft class are already contributing to the team, and Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com points to first-round pick Travis Frederick as the best of the bunch.
- The Cowboys have enough money under the cap to fit a veteran, but Archer doesn’t believe the team is going to be active at the trade deadline.
- Despite DeMarco Murray‘s hot start to the season, Bob Sturm of The Dallas Morning News would still move on from the veteran in free agency if the team could draft a stud running back like Georgia’s Todd Gurley. Since the team won’t have that foresight, Sturm believes the team should franchise the running back.
East Notes: Beckham Jr., Kerley, Pryor, Murray
Giants rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was always destined for greatness, writes Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “My mom told me when I was four years old…I was outside playing, she came outside and said ‘What are you doing?’ I looked in her eye and told her I was practicing for Sundays. She said the way I said it she had no choice but to believe it,” the LSU product said. Here’s more from the AFC and NFC East..
- Jeremy Kerley‘s new four-year extension with the Jets calls for $14MM in new money, including a $3MM signing bonus, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter). ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan reported earlier this week that the wide receiver has $5.4MM in guaranteed salary under the new deal.
- Jets coach Rex Ryan told reporters today that first round pick Calvin Pryor hasn’t “had the impact necessarily that all of us had expected,” writes Cimini. Part of that probably has to do with the hard-hitting Louisville product playing out of position. Pryor made a name for himself by delivering highlight reel hits near the line of scrimmage. Instead, he’s playing deep-middle safety thanks to the Jets’ injuries in the secondary.
- Bob Sturm of The Dallas Morning News is really high on Georgia running back Todd Gurley. In fact, in a hypothetical where the Cowboys could part ways with DeMarco Murray and replace him with Gurley rather than franchising him or re-signing him to a big long-term deal, he would go with the rookie tailback. Of course, Dallas will have to make their call on whether to franchise Murray in advance of the draft and it doesn’t seem like Gurley, projected to be a top ten pick, will be around when the Cowboys are on the clock.
NFC Notes: Jackson, Murray, Seahawks
Here’s a round-up of a few Thursday notes from around the NFC:
- Vincent Jackson has been cited frequently as one of the trade candidates to watch as Tuesday’s deadline approaches, but if it were up the Buccaneers wideout, he wouldn’t be going anywhere, as he tells Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com. “I think bringing Lovie in and the staff that he’s brought and his mentality and his goals are aligned with mine and I think a lot of guys in this locker room,” Jackson said. “I hope for us to start the tradition here of winning football in Tampa Bay. I hope to stay in this uniform and this jersey and help bring that.”
- While having a monster season in a contract year typically bodes well for a player’s future earnings, former Packers executive Andrew Brandt of TheMMQB.com examines whether DeMarco Murray‘s big numbers, buoyed by a huge workload, may actually be hurting him financially.
- Before he signed with the Titans’ practice squad, linebacker Nate Askew was one of a handful of players to work out for the Seahawks, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). In addition to Askew and players previously reported, the club also auditioned defensive end Sammy Brown and tight end Michael Egnew, as well as bringing in defensive end Austen Lane for a visit (Twitter links).
- A few more tryouts, via Wilson: The Buccaneers are working out punter Brock Miller (Twitter link), the Cowboys took a look at offensive lineman Keavon Milton (Twitter link), and Washington auditioned defensive end Lawrence Sidbury (Twitter link).
NFC Notes: Cards, Cowboys, Hardy, Eagles
While the 6-1 Cowboys and 5-1 Eagles are vying for the best record in the NFC, it’s the 5-2 Packers who currently have the best Super Bowl odds, according to betting site Bovada.lv. Bovada lists Green Bay as 8/1 to win this year’s championship, while the Cowboys have 9/1 odds and the Eagles are down at 16/1, behind the Seahawks (9/1) and 49ers (12/1). As we look forward to seeing how those NFC frontrunners fare this weekend, let’s check in on the latest updates from around the conference….
- The Cardinals would like to extend Carson Palmer‘s deal before season’s end, but he isn’t the only player on the roster whose contract situation the team could address. As Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic details, GM Steve Keim said during his weekly appearance on Arizona Sports 98.7 that there are several other extension candidates on expiring contracts. Although Keim didn’t name those players, Somers identifies a few possibilities, examining the likelihood of new deals for each of them.
- Meanwhile, the Cowboys also have several players who deserve contract extensions, but Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News argues that the team should wait until after the season to open serious negotiations. When so many key contributors are playing for contracts, extending one or two of them and sending the message that certain players are more valuable than others could upset the balance in Dallas, says George.
- Greg Hardy remains on the commissioner’s exempt list for the Panthers, but his attorney is preparing for the defensive end’s trial to get underway on November 17, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
- Marcus Smith has shuffled back and forth between outside and inside linebacker for the Eagles so far, and the first-round pick’s future role with the team remains cloudy, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com.
Update On Traded 2015 Draft Picks
The trade that sent Percy Harvin from Seattle to the Jets this past week was the latest example of a swap in which the draft pick involved in the deal is tied to a condition which will affect the value of that pick. In the case of the Harvin deal, the pick Seattle acquired reportedly can become a fourth-rounder if the wideout remains on the Jets’ roster beyond this season, but if New York moves on from Harvin in the offseason, the 2015 pick will be a sixth-rounder.
Considering we haven’t even seen Harvin suit up for the Jets yet, we’re nowhere close to knowing whether he’ll remain in the team’s plans for 2015, so that conditional pick remains very much up in the air. However, there are a number of other conditional picks whose outlook is much clearer. Here’s an update on several of the picks that could change hands in 2015:
Conditions met, or likely to be met:
- Dolphins acquired 49ers‘ seventh-round pick for Jonathan Martin: Martin had to make San Francisco’s opening day 53-man roster for this pick to change hands, which he did.
- Giants acquired Broncos‘ seventh-round pick for Brandon McManus. The deal required McManus to remain the Broncos’ kicker even after Matt Prater‘s four-game suspension ended for the Giants to acquire the pick, which he did.
- Ravens acquiring Cowboys‘ sixth-round pick for Rolando McClain: McClain needs to play in 50% of the Cowboys’ defensive snaps for Baltimore to land this pick, and so far, he has played in about 81%, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Assuming he meets the criteria, the Ravens would sent their seventh-round pick to Dallas in exchange for the Cowboys’ sixth-rounder.
- Titans acquiring Cowboys‘ seventh-round pick for Lavar Edwards: Edwards must spend at least 10 games on the Cowboys’ roster for Tennessee to grab this pick, and so far he has been on the team for all but one contest. He’ll need four more games on the 53-man roster for the Titans to get the pick.
Conditions not met, or unlikely to be met:
- Packers won’t acquire Patriots‘ seventh-round pick for Jerel Worthy: Worthy had to make the Pats’ opening day 53-man roster for Green Bay to get this pick, but he was waived during preseason cutdowns.
- Panthers likely won’t acquire Eagles‘ seventh-round pick for Kenjon Barner: Barner must spend at least four games on Philadelphia’s 46-man game day roster for this pick to change hands. Considering Barner hasn’t even been on the team’s roster since the season began, this appears unlikely.
- Jaguars likely won’t acquire pick from 49ers for Blaine Gabbert: The Jags would’ve landed a pick if Gabbert started eight or more games in 2014. Unless Colin Kaepernick goes down with a serious injury in the team’s next game, this won’t happen.
For details on all of 2015’s traded draft picks, be sure to check out our complete list.
Cowboys Unlikely To Extend Murray In Season
Recent reports have suggested that the Cowboys are open to the idea of extending running back DeMarco Murray‘s contract during the 2014 season, and in fact have begun negotiating a potential deal with his representatives. However, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link), the sense is that an in-season extension for Murray is unlikely, since the league’s leading rusher has too much leverage for the sort of team-friendly deal the Cowboys would be seeking.
It’s not hard to see why Murray’s leverage has increased significantly over the last two months. The 26-year-old has piled up 913 rushing yards during the season’s first seven weeks, surpassing the 100-yard barrier in each of Dallas’ first seven contests and averaging a touchdown per game. His current pace has him on track for 2,087 rushing yards, which would be one of the best seasons for a back in NFL history, particularly during an era when the game is more pass-heavy than ever.
Of course, in addition to leading the league in rushing yardage, Murray has also racked up the most carries by a wide margin, and there should be some concern about his long-term durability if he keeps getting the ball at this rate. He’s presently on pace for 427 carries, which would be an NFL record and is virtually unheard of for a modern-day running back. In 2013, LeSean McCoy and Marshawn Lynch were the only backs to crack 300 attempts, with McCoy leading the way at 314.
Considering Murray has had some health problems throughout his rookie contract, having never played more than 14 games in a season, it makes sense that the Cowboys would be wary of making a huge offer at this point. If Murray isn’t willing to accept a more team-friendly contract, which he probably shouldn’t, then it seems reasonable for the two sides to postpone serious negotiations until after the season. Assuming Murray continues on his MVP-caliber pace, he won’t come cheaply for Dallas at that point, but at least the team would know with more certainty what sort of state he’d be in for the 2015 season.
Extra Points: Bears, Rice, Sam, Rivers
Worried about potential unrest in Chicago? Brandon Marshall isn’t. “We’re great,” Marshall said of his relationship with quarterback Jay Cutler in an appearance on Showtime’s Inside The NFL (video link). Still, one has to wonder if the Bears offense can get back on the same page this season and make a run for the NFC North crown. More from around the NFL..
- As expected, Ray Rice has filed a grievance against the Ravens, challenging the team’s decision to terminate his contract, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. If Rice is successful in his grievances against both the Ravens and the NFL, he would be eligible to receive $3.52MM from Baltimore.
- Michael Sam figures to find another NFL opportunity thanks to his motor, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today. The linebacker was released from the Cowboys‘ taxi squad earlier today.
- Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is on his way to joining the $20MM quarterback club, writes Joel Corry of CBSSports.com. Since the start of the 2013 season, Rivers has enjoyed a career revival and has arguably been the league’s second-best quarterback behind Peyton Manning.
- A source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that RB Alex Green had a “good workout” with the Giants today, but the team isn’t signing him at this time. Big Blue won’t be inking Felix Jones to a contract either, but he’ll be on the team’s “short list” if and when a tailback is needed (link).
- Former Giants center Jim Cordle worked out for the Titans recently, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Cordle suffered a partially torn patella but Caplan says he’s been healthy for a while.
- With Derrick Coleman hurt, the Seahawks worked out veteran fullbacks Tony Fiammetta, Greg Jones, and Will Tukuafu, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports.
- The Titans got something for nothing when they sent Akeem Ayers and a seventh-round choice to the Patriots earlier today for a sixth-round pick, opines Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. Ayers is in his contract year and wasn’t contributing much to the Titans. Of course, the Titans wish things worked out differently with their former second-round pick.
- The NFL could wind up installing two personal conduct policies: one for players and one for all other NFL employees, including owners, writes Peter King of The MMQB. The policy for non-players could be hammered out by Thanksgiving and the players policy should be completed after that.
Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
We’re keeping tabs on today’s minor moves that affect 53-man rosters right here, but we’ll use the space below to track transactions involving teams’ practice squads:
- The Chiefs signed guard Jarrod Pughsley to the taxi squad to take the place of the released Jerel Worthy, according to Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star.
- Linebacker Shaq Barrett cleared waivers and is expected to be re-signed to the Broncos‘ practice squad soon, tweets Mike Klis of The Denver Post.
- The Colts announced that they have signed running back Jeff Demps and tight end Konrad Reuland to the practice squad while releasing quarterback Dominique Davis and wide receiver Chandler Jones to make room. Demps, a 2012 Summer Olympics silver medalist, was recently
- The Saints have signed offensive tackle Demarcus Love to their practice squad, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com, while Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets that the club cut center Alex Parsons from the unit.
- Caplan also notes (via Twitter) that the Chiefs have cut defensive lineman Jerel Worthy from their taxi squad.
- A pair of receivers have joined the Rams‘ practice squad, per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, who tweets that Kadron Boone and Devon Wylie have signed with the team. Thomas adds (via Twitter) that the club also replaced one linebacker with another, cutting Denicos Allen and signing Korey Toomer.
Earlier updates:
- The Panthers have announced a pair of practice squad additions, confirming (via Twitter) that they’ve signed safety Robert Lester and offensive tackle Martin Wallace using their two open spots.
- The Jaguars have signed cornerback Lou Young to their practice squad, filling the 10th and final opening on the unit, the club announced today (Twitter link).
- The Cowboys have released edge defender Michael Sam from their practice squad, the team announced today in a press release. Although Sam spent several weeks on Dallas’ taxi squad, he never got the opportunity for a promotion to the 53-man unit, and figures to draw some attention around the NFL as he looks for a new job. Using the two openings on their practice squad, the Cowboys added linebacker Troy Davis and defensive tackle Ken Bishop, according to the team.
East Notes: Cowboys, Jets, Dolphins
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently said he’s not interested in discussing the possibility of a contract extension for Jason Garrett at this point, and the head coach agreed with that assessment. When Garrett was asked about his contract situation, he shifted the focus back to his team’s play on the field, as Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com details.
“I just know where I need to focus, where our team needs to focus and it needs to focus on playing our best football,” Garrett said. “The way we do that is we focus on being our best today, do a great job evaluating that game, get ready for the players coming in, let’s go to work. That’s really what I think about.”
Let’s round up a few more items from around the AFC East….
- After coming under criticism for his lack of offseason maneuvers, Jets general manager John Idzik is surely hoping his acquisition of Percy Harvin works out, and he sounds confident that the move will reap benefits. “This could be a potential coup for the New York Jets,” Idzik told reporters, including Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Idzik, a former Seahawks executive, also noted that his Seattle background allowed him to perform an extensive background check on Harvin.
- Wide receiver Dez Bryant boosted his stock once again this weekend as he nears free agency, and Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap thinks the Cowboys receiver may be the best player at his position in the NFL. While DeMarco Murray and his looming free agency has been a hot topic given the running back’s huge first half, Bryant appears to be in line for a mammoth new deal of his own.
- Free agent cornerback Curtis Marsh worked out for the Dolphins today, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Marsh, a former Eagle, has also auditioned for the Titans and Lions recently.
- Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports adds (via Twitter) that cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke also tried out for the Dolphins today.