NFC Notes: Orton, Vikings, Bridgewater
Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap breaks down the situation between the Cowboys and veteran quarterback Kyle Orton. The Cowboys badly want Orton not to retire and they’re threatening to revoke part of his signing bonus if he does not report to the team. Usually, as Fitzgerald notes, teams do not go after bonus money when a player retires, though they do have that right under the CBA.
- The Seahawks have signed former Cumberland University offensive tackle A.J. Harmon, according to Tommy Bryan of The Wilson Post. The 6’6”, 320-pound lineman participated in Seattle’s three day rookie mini-camp. A spot opened up for Harmon earlier today when the Seahawks cut sixth-round pick Garrett Scott. ESPN’s John Clayton says Scott would get $318K for the season if he’s on the non-football-related injured reserve, plus the signing bonus (link via Condotta).
- Doug Farrar of Sports Illustrated attempts to solve the vertical passing game with Vikings rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. There are times where Bridgewater isn’t as accurate with the deep ball as he needs to be, but that’s not to say that he couldn’t tighten up his mechanics and change that. In three seasons at Louisville, Bridgewater’s completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown-to-interception ratio and passer rating improved every year. He also completed 71 percent of his passes in 2013, for 9.3 yards per attempt, 31 touchdowns, and just four picks.
- Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com tweeted out the Cardinals‘ rookie minicamp roster. Notables include talented Alabama offensive tackle Anthony Steen, who was sidelined by injuries during his senior season.
Draft Signings: Dolphins, Cowboys, Bills
By our count, after Trent Murphy signed his rookie contract this morning, 164 of 256 draftees had at least agreed to terms with their new NFL teams, leaving less than 100 players yet to be signed. Another handful of draft picks have reached agreements since then, so let’s round up the latest….
- The Dolphins announced this morning (via Twitter) that they’ve signed sixth-round wideout Matt Hazel, and also confirmed the signing of fifth-round linebacker Jordan Tripp, which was reported yesterday. Hazel’s signing bonus will be worth nearly $106K, per Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap.
- In addition to signing Hazel, the Dolphins have also agreed to terms with seventh-round defensive end Terrence Fede, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). With Hazel, Tripp, and Fede locked up, the Dolphins have addressed their last four draft picks, and will now shift their focus to their earlier selections, including first-rounder Ja’Wuan James.
- Fifth-round receiver Devin Street has signed his four-year rookie contract with the Cowboys, agent Andy Simms announced today (via Twitter). Like Miami, the Cowboys are working backward through their draftees — Dallas’ last six picks have now agreed to terms, while the club’s top three selections remain unsigned.
- The Bills announced today in a press release that they’ve signed fifth-round tackle Cyril Richardson, leaving first-rounder Sammy Watkins and second-rounder Cyrus Kouandjio as the only Buffalo draftees who still need to sign. Richardson will get a $192K signing bonus, according to Fitzgerald.
Kyle Orton Still Mulling Retirement
Kyle Orton has yet to participate in any of the Cowboys’ voluntary offseason workouts, and while the team has downplayed the signal-caller’s absence, Orton is still contemplating the possibility of retiring, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). According to Rapoport, the veteran quarterback has told the Cowboys he wants to call it a career, but the team wants to keep him around and would look to recoup $3MM in signing bonus money if he retired. So for now, the two sides are in a standoff.
When Orton signed for five years with the Cowboys in 2012, the deal included a $5MM signing bonus prorated over the length of the contract, which is why Dallas would be seeking $3MM from the 31-year-old. In addition to repaying that $3MM, Orton would also give up a $3.25MM base salary for 2014, so retirement would be a costly decision.
If Orton does decide to end his playing career, the Cowboys would likely move forward with Brandon Weeden as Tony Romo‘s backup, with Caleb Hanie potentially in the mix as well.
East Notes: Bills, Pats, Cowboys, Eagles
ESPN Insider Mike Sando provided grades for all 32 NFL teams’ offseasons, and while the Bills received a C+, that grade has the potential to fluctuate significantly depending on how the next couple years play out for the club. Buffalo was the only team to trade away its 2015 first-round pick during the 2014 draft, and as ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak notes, one general manager who spoke to Sando questioned that move for Sammy Watkins.
“Watkins dominated all the way through college, has rare measurables and plays with a mean streak, but if you are going to mortgage your future, you do it to get a quarterback, not a receiver,” the GM said. “They gave up way too much. They mortgaged the future when they do not have a franchise quarterback, in my opinion. They will be looking for another QB in a year and they will not have a first-round pick to get him.”
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:
- The Patriots cut linebacker James Morris with a failed physical designation earlier this week, just four days after signing him as an undrafted free agent, but Morris made out reasonably well for four days of work. According to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com, the Pats had given the Iowa product a $10K signing bonus and $10K in other guarantees, so his brief stint cost the club $20K.
- Appearing on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Wednesday, Tony Romo confessed that he may have had a little inside information heading into this year’s draft, so he wasn’t concerned about the Cowboys potentially drafting Johnny Manziel. Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News has the details and the quotes from Romo.
- Jimmy Kempski of Philly.com takes an early look at how he thinks the Eagles‘ 53-man roster could shake out.
- ESPN.com’s team reporters are unveiling their offseason wrap-ups this week, and Todd Archer, Andy Jasner, Dan Graziano, and John Keim have published their recaps for the Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, and Redskins, respectively.
Extra Points: Bills, Smith, Romo, Redskins
Former Buffalo Sabres owner Tom Golisano intends to bid on the Bills when they’re put up for sale, according to John Kryk of the Toronto Sun. Reports for more than a month have pegged the billionaire originally from Rochester, N.Y., as a likely bidder, so the news doesn’t come as a surprise.
More from around the league:
- With regards to Aldon Smith pleading no-contest in today’s proceedings, 49ers GM Trent Baalke said “Today was an important step towards bringing that situation to a resolution.” The 49ers exercised Smith’s fifth-year option earlier this offseason despite his off-the-field troubles.
- Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is no stranger to rumors over his job security but he’s not letting that talk bother him. “There’s no question in my mind that not only will I make it though 16 games – I’ll make it through another five years,” Romo told 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. The QB is coming off of not one but two recent back surgeries.
- John Keim of ESPN.com is sizing up the Redskins‘ draft picks and today he zeroed in on third-round pick Morgan Moses. The third-round tackle out of Virginia has been referred to as a first-round talent, but Keim believes that he’ll need some time before he’s thrust into a starting role.
- Longtime Texans receiver Andre Johnson revealed his frustration with the with the team earlier this offseason but teammates are confident that everything will work out, writes Dave Zangaro of CSNHouston.com. Johnson says he isn’t planning on attending OTAs or the team’s mandatory minicamp this offseason.
- Saints cornerback Keenan Lewis is excited about the arrivals of Champ Bailey and Jairus Byrd, writes Terrance Harris of The Times-Picayune.
Minor Moves: Cowboys, Chiefs, Chargers
Tonight’s minor moves..
- The Cowboys signed cornerback Tyler Patmon and waived the injured Marvin Robinson, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Patmon started five games last year at Oklahoma State after a three-year run at Kansas and had 30 tackles, nine pass breakups, and an interception in 2013.
- The Chiefs signed linebacker DeRon Furr, Wilson tweets. The Fort Valley State safety was originally a top recruit competing as a true-freshman quarterback at Auburn in 2008. Meanwhile, they cut offensive tackle R.J. Dill, Wilson tweets.
- The Chargers signed running back Branden Oliver, tweets Wilson. The Buffalo product broke several records during his tenure at UB including the all-time rushing record (4,049 yards) and the single-season rushing record (1,535 yards).
- The Chargers were also impressed by West Texas A&M guard Craig Watts at their rookie minicamp and they’re set to sign him, tweets Michael Gehlken of the Union-Tribune.
- The Titans placed Eric Ward on injured reserve after he was waived-injured, tweets Wilson. The quarterback last played last with the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL.
- Lineman Micajah Reynolds was released by the Saints earlier this week, according to Joe Rexrode of the Detroit Free Press. The Michigan State product was looking to hook on with the Saints as an offensive lineman but he’ll now go back to defensive tackle as he tries to make the Dolphins.
- The Chargers waived-injured wide receiver Tobais Palmer and cut Ian White, tweets Wilson. Palmer, a 24-year old out of North Carolina State, was on San Diego’s practice squad last season.
NFC Notes: Suh, Witten, Falcons, 49ers
Speaking to reporters after practicing with his Lions teammates today, Ndamukong Suh attempted to reinforce the idea that he likes playing in Detroit and wants to remain with the team long-term, but his comments resulted in more questions than answers. As Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press outlines, Suh alluded to having an opportunity on draft day in 2010 to be selected by a team besides the Lions, in the same way that Eli Manning pushed to land on the Giants rather than the Chargers.
“It is my choice. It is, for sure, my choice,” Suh said, when asked if he really had any say in which team selected him. “But like I said, that’s water under the bridge. I’m here in Detroit, I’m happy to be here in Detroit, I’m going to continue to play my heart out as I’ve always done and continue to do.”
Although Suh brought up the 2010 draft in order to illustrate his satisfaction with being a member of the Lions, it may have had the opposite effect, since it hadn’t been public knowledge that the defensive tackle even entertained the possibility of a Manning-esque move back in ’10.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- At age 32, Jason Witten is one of the oldest players on the Cowboys, but he said earlier this week that he hasn’t considered retirement at all, and doesn’t necessarily believe he’s in the final stages of his career. Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News has the details and quotes.
- Asked about Atlanta’s receiving duo of Julio Jones and Roddy White, Falcons owner Arthur Blank said that he’d like to see both players remain with the club for their entire careers, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Jones had his fifth-year option picked up for 2015, while White is entering the final year of his deal, so both players figure to discuss contract extensions soon. “We love Roddy, and Julio as well, so we’ll continue to work with them and their agents closely,” Blank said.
- Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com passes along an interesting story from Tom Elliott of the St. Cloud Times about Bemidji State’s Zach Noreen, a basketball player who received a minicamp invite from 49ers GM Trent Baalke despite not having played a football game since 2009 in high school.
- Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune and Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com have provided signing bonus info for the Bears‘ and Buccaneers‘ UDFA signings, respectively. We’ve updated our posts on those signings with those bonus amounts.
East Notes: Cowboys, Jernigan, Giants, Bills
First-round pick Zack Martin is expected to start his NFL career as a guard for the Cowboys, but as Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes, the assumption has been that Martin will shift over to right tackle in 2015, since Doug Free is in the last year of his contract. Still, Archer wonders if it might be more beneficial for the club to keep Martin on the interior a little longer and extend Free’s deal beyond this season, since he had a solid 2013 season and only just turned 30.
Here’s more from Archer on the Cowboys, along with some update on a couple other East teams:
- Within the same piece, Archer explores the possibility of the Cowboys carrying four tailbacks on their regular-season roster now that they’ve added Ryan Williams, and wonders if players like Henry Melton and Anthony Spencer can even come close to reaching playing-time incentives, given Dallas’ depth on the defensive line.
- Although this month’s selection of wideout Odell Beckham Jr. fortified the Giants‘ receiving corps, it raised question marks about the role Jerrel Jernigan will have in New York going forward, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. In Raanan’s view, Jernigan’s best chance for consistent playing time may come with another team, barring an injury to Beckham, Victor Cruz, or Rueben Randle.
- In the NFL, signing a five-year contract with a team doesn’t assure a player of a long-term stay with that club, but Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is hoping to stick with the Giants for several years, as Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News writes. DRC also noted that the decision to sign with the Giants rather than the Jets in free agency was “very difficult.”
- According to Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (Twitter link), the NFL expects the sale of the Bills to take a little longer than usual. The league wants to intensify the vetting process after what happened with Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, whose business was investigated by the FBI and IRS just a few months after he was approved as the team’s majority owner.
Minor Moves: Titans, Cowboys, Bills, Vikings
Here are a few of the latest minor transactions from around the NFL, including late-round draftees signings their deals and undrafted free agents finding new NFL homes:
- The Titans have agreed to terms on a four-year rookie contract with sixth-round quarterback Zach Mettenberger, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). With Mettenberger locked up, Tennessee still has to sign three of its six 2014 draft picks, including first-rounder Taylor Lewan.
- No team had more seventh-round draft picks than the Cowboys, and Dallas has finally signed all the players it selected in that round. According to Todd Archer of ESPN.com, 251st overall pick Ken Bishop, a defensive tackle, inked his deal today.
- East Central wide receiver Caleb Holley, one of four non-roster players who auditioned for the Bills this past weekend, has earned a spot on the team’s roster, signing a deal today, according to Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com.
- One Mike Zimmer apparently wasn’t enough for the Vikings, who have signed the former Illinois State linebacker with the same name as the club’s head coach, per a team release. Zimmer joined the Jaguars after going undrafted last year and spent the 2013 preseason with Jacksonville.
NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants
Cowboys’ owner and general manager Jerry Jones spoke to Kimberly Jones of the NFL Network about the possibility of the NFL expanding their playoff format, and he liked the idea of more playoff teams, reports Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (via Twitter). Jones noted that it would help his team get into the tournament, as the Cowboys have barely missed the playoffs in each of the past three seasons.
Here are some other notes from around the NFC East:
- The Eagles have signed fourth-round pick Jaylen Watkins, fifth-round pick Taylor Hart, and undrafted free agent Devan Morgan, reports Jeff McClane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). Hart is a defensive end out of Oregon, while Watkins and Morgan are both defensive backs. The team released defensive back John Fulton to make room on the roster.
- Eagles’ head coach Chip Kelly drafted two Oregon players this year, and both have found the transition from college to the pros smooth because of the connection, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
“There’s things in the offense I know already,” receiver Josh Huff said. “It’s just getting things separated from the Oregon offense to the Philly offense. The play calls are different. The hand signals are different. So I have to reboot my whole system and get it in order.”
Hart also has some familiarity with the system.
- The Giants have just enough cap room to sign all their draft picks without making any roster move, writes Jordan Ranaan of NJ.com (via Twitter). Ranaan still expects the team to free up about $5MM by cutting David Baas in the near future..