David Baas

Daniel Kilgore Breaks Leg, Out For Year

SATURDAY, 12:42pm: Kilgore has officially been placed on the injured reserve, effectively ending his season.

MONDAY, 8:07am: Niners head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed last night that Kilgore suffered a broken leg, which will likely end his season, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

SUNDAY, 10:17pm: 49ers center Daniel Kilgore suffered a lower left leg injury during the Sunday Night Football matchup against the Broncos, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter).

An air cast was placed on Kilgore, an indication that the injury could be a serious fracture, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter). Backup Dillon Farrell has taken over for Kilgore in the game.

A number of centers will be available in free agnecy if the 49ers feel they need to bring in outside help to replace Kilgore. Some options will be David Baas, Dan Koppen, Steve Vallos, Andre Gurode, Rob Turner, Lemuel JeanPierre, and Dylan Gandy, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter).

The player on the top of that list, Baas, could be a fit in a return to the team. However, he is dealing with injury issues himself. Caplan writes that Bass may never play again (via Twitter).

The team recently got rookie third-round pick Marcus Martin back with the team, and he completed his first full week of practice with the team. Martin is an option to be quickly acclimated to the offense, so he can be inserted into the lineup very soon, writes Maiocco (via Twitter).

NFC East Notes: Beckham Jr., Bryant, Mathis

After receiving a $5MM cap credit on June 1 for cutting offensive lineman David Baas in March, the Giants have just over $7MM to spend on fine-tuning the roster, writes Jordan Ranaan of NJ.com. 91 players are currently under contract for the G-Men, with a team cap of $124.98MM.

As Ranaan points out, $7MM might sound like a lot of money, but 20 teams have more room to spend. All seven 2014 draftees except for third-round defensive tackle Jay Bromley have signed their rookie deals, and it’s only a matter of time before the former Syracuse Orange joins the fold.

More news and notes from the AFC East below…

  • Giants first-round wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is being rested for precautionary reasons while recovering from a hamstring injury that sidelined him at OTAs, reports National Football Post’s Aaron Wilson. Beckham told reporters he’s also suffering from a tight back.
  • Cowboys quarterback Brandon Weeden waxed poetic about his former college and current pro teammate, Dez Bryant, per The Dallas Morning News’ Jon Machota. “He’s unbelievable at what he does,” Weeden said. “It’s the same stuff he did when he was 18 when he came in. I have said it when we came in the same year, he’s just a freak. The guy is probably the most passionate football player. He loves the game more than anyone I’ve ever been around.” Both players arrived at Oklahoma State in 2007. 
  • At a function honoring former Arkansas head football coach and athletic director Frank Broyles, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said nothing has made him prouder than to know the Arkansas Razorbacks — Jones’ Alma mater — will play at AT&T Stadium next season, tweets Robbie Neiswanger of the Arkansas News Bureau.
  • Eagles guard Evan Mathis said the team is light years ahead of where it was compared to this time last year, reports CSNPhilly.com’s Michael Barkann. “This year, you can just see so much more confidence on the field. Everybody’s executing, it’s much more crisp, and that’s what you get with a year under this system.” 
  • Michael Bamiro has been working mainly at right guard on the Eagles‘ second-team offensive line, writes CSNPhilly.com’s Geoff Mosher.
  • According to a tweet by last year’s No. 4 overall pick Lane Johnson, the Eagles‘ rookie dinner totaled nearly $18k, including a $3,495 bottle of wine.
  • Eagles first-round pick Marcus Smith, who will be outside linebacker in Philadelphia’s base 3-4, was tabbed by National Football Post’s Greg Gabriel as one of five players to keep an eye on during the 2014 NFL Season.
  • Niles Paul, the Redskins wide receiver and core special teams player, is optimistic about a potential turnout for the ST unit under Ben Kotwica, the first-year coordinator, writes CSNWashington.com’s Tarik El-Bashir.
  • Training camp practices under new Redskins head coach Jay Gruden will likely start earlier, end later and feature a longer break in between sessions, reports CSNWashington.com’s Rich Tandler.
  • Learning his fifth offensive system in five years, Redskins quarterback Colt McCoy likes the fit in Washington and is eager to learn behind Kirk Cousins and Robert Griffin III, writes ESPN.com’s John Keim.

Raiders Sign Kevin Boothe

TUESDAY, 1:28pm: The base value of Boothe’s two-year deal is $2.625MM, says Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). That includes a $300K roster bonus for this year, $125K annual workout bonuses, and base salaries of $900K (2014) and $1.175MM (2015).

MONDAY, 9:35pm: Boothe gets $3.4MM over two years, according to NJ.com’s Jordan Raanan (via Twitter).

7:27pm: The Raiders have signed Giants offensive lineman Kevin Boothe to a two-year deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

Boothe was drafted by the Raiders in 2006 when he started 14 games before being waived and picked up by the Giants the following year. The 30-year-old started all 16 games last season, beginning the year at left guard before shifting to center when David Baas was lost to injury. Boothe rated near the bottom of the league’s centers according to Pro Football Focus, finishing the season with a -6.4 rating.

Wilson On Steve Smith, Cuts, Daryl Smith

Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun has provided plenty of interesting tidbits on Twitter this morning, so let’s round up a few of the highlights. All links go to Wilson’s Twitter….

Giants To Cut Baas, Close To Re-Signing Brown

The Giants are cutting David Baas, multiple sources tell Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. The team had approached the veteran center about accepting a pay cut to reduce his 2014 cap number, but it seems the two sides couldn’t reach an agreement.

Baas, who was limited to three games last season due to knee injuries, was slated to have a cap hit of $8.225MM in 2014. Because the final two seasons of his deal carry large prorated bonus numbers, cutting him will only create $1.775MM in cap savings for the Giants. Nonetheless, the team won’t designate him as a post-June 1 cut.

Meanwhile, Conor Orr of the Star-Ledger reports that the Giants are also close to wrapping up a new contract for kicker Josh Brown. Years and dollars on that agreement aren’t yet known. While Brown’s age (35 next month) may limit his earnings, other kickers have inked new deals with annual salaries exceeding $3MM so far this offseason, and Brown only missed three field goals in 2013.

NFC East Rumors: Ware, Redskins, Giants, Eagles

Free agency officially gets underway at 3:00pm central time tomorrow, and there could be resolution on DeMarcus Ware‘s situation in Dallas by then, according to ESPN.com’s Todd Archer. Archer reports that the Cowboys have had “consistent negotiations” with Ware on a reworked contract that would reduce his 2014 cap hit. If the two sides can reach a compromise, it sounds like the standout pass rusher will continue his career in Dallas. Otherwise, he may be cut by tomorrow afternoon.

Let’s round up a few more Monday rumors from out of the NFC East….

Free Agent Notes: Pierre Thomas, Ravens, Bears, Giants

Miscellaneous news and notes, including free agent primers for the Bears and Giants:

  • Malcolm Jenkinstweet indicates Pierre Thomas won’t be back with the Saints, points out NOLA.com’s Larry Holder (via Twitter).
  • The Ravens have made an offer to retain free agent receiver/returner Jacoby Jones, according to team insider Aaron Wilson (per Twitter).
  • Ravens free agent cornerback Corey Graham “should have a healthy market,” according to Wilson (via Twitter). Graham, a 2007 fifth-rounder, broke in with the Bears, made a name for himself as a Pro Bowl special teams player and earned a two-year, $3.95MM deal with the Ravens in 2012. He played a more prominent role in Baltimore, where he started 13 games over two seasons and contributed as a productive sub-package defender, tallying 74 tackles, 12 passes defended and four interceptions. The team wants Graham back, but will be unable to compete if another team is willing to pay him like a starter, says Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • The Bears will target defensive ends in free agency, according to the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs, who breaks down four groups of free agents the Bears will sift through: big-ticket targets (such as Michael Bennett or Everson Griffen); “budget buys” (similar to Matt Slauson, who signed an inexpensive one-year deal last year, started all 16 games and earned a four-year extension); cap casualties (veterans with “a little juice left,” as Biggs puts it); and the club’s own (most notably, Henry Melton, Charles Tillman and D.J. Williams).
  • Expect the Giants to act quickly in free agency, says NJ.com’s Jordan Raanan, who predicts the team will land a priority free agent, likely an offensive lineman, in a matter of days. Raanan cites recent history as an indicator, reminding the team signed Antrel Rolle on the first day of free agency in 2010, signed David Baas in two days in 2011 and added Martellus Bennett three days into the 2012 signing period.

Giants Approach Snee, Baas About Pay Cuts

The Giants have approached guard Chris Snee and center David Baas about taking pay cuts, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. New York is interested in keeping both players for the 2014 season, but the combined cap numbers for the duo total nearly $20MM, which is untenable for the club.

As we passed along yesterday, Snee has decided not to retire, and hopes to play at least one more season for the Giants, the team with which he has spent his entire career. The longtime right guard, who is coming off hip and elbow surgery, expressed an openness to discussing a pay cut, which would reduce his $6.75MM base salary. Taking into account bonus money, Snee’s cap number for 2014 currently sits at $11.3MM, meaning the team could clear nearly $7MM by releasing him. As such, working out a new agreement is likely in the best interests of both sides.

Baas’ case isn’t as clear, however. The Giants center, who also missed most of the 2013 season with knee issues, still has two years remaining on his contract, so cutting him this season would accelerate additional money onto the team’s 2014 cap. New York could create a little cap flexibility by cutting Baas and his $8.225MM cap number, but $6.45MM in dead money would remain on the ’14 cap, so the savings would be minimal. We’ll have to see if Baas is interested in remaining in New York and willing to reduce a 2014 base salary of $4.75MM.

Giants Notes: Nicks, Tuck, Wilson, Beason

Giants Senior Vice President & General Manager Jerry Reese spoke to the media Saturday morning and Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post tweeted some of the topics addressed:

  • Hakeem Nicks and Justin Tuck will hit the free agent market (via Twitter).
  • The team is optimistic about David Wilson‘s neck injury, but will likely select a running back in the draft (Twitter).
  • Uncertainty about the health of Chris Snee (wrist) and David Baas (knee) is making offensive line decisions difficult (Twitter).
  • Jon Beason, who was acquired in trade last season and recorded 93 tackles and an interception in 11 starts, will become an unrestricted free agent, but the Giants want him back (Twitter).

Cap Notes: Bills, Giants, Browns, Texans

Bills safety Jairus Byrd will need to be tendered at $8.3MM if the team wants to keep him under the franchise tag for a second consecutive year, reports Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. Back-to-back franchise tags call for the affected player’s salary to be increased by 120%. Byrd, widely considered one of the best safeties in the NFL, was displeased with being franchise tagged last year, having hoped to work out a long-term extension. Recent extensions by comparable safeties include those of Eric Weddle, who was guaranteed $19MM by the Chargers, and Dashon Goldson, to whom the Buccaneers guaranteed $18MM (numbers courtesy of OverTheCap.com).

Some other cap notes from around the league: