Extra Points: Benjamin, Steelers, Lang
Asked during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio (SoundCloud link) about his pending free agency, Browns wide receiver Travis Benjamin replied that “the ball is in my court,” suggesting that he hasn’t yet decided whether he’ll sign an extension with Cleveland or explore the open market. However, Benjamin said he’d like to return to the Browns, and his agent tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link) that he’s optimistic a deal can be completed soon.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- The Steelers used a nickel package for about 75% of their defensive snaps in 2015, which is one reason why the team figures to focus on improving its secondary again this offseason. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette discusses the Steelers’ need to target cornerbacks and safeties in the draft, and perhaps in free agency.
- After playing the 2015 season with two bad shoulders, Packers guard T.J. Lang will have one of those shoulders repaired this week. Lang told Rob Demovksy of ESPN.com that he’s scheduled to undergo surgery on his right shoulder on Wednesday. It’s not clear yet whether Lang, who is entering a contract year in 2016, will also have surgery on his left shoulder.
- There’s no doubt that adding Peyton Manning to their roster would give the Rams “plenty of sizzle” as they head back to Los Angeles, but the idea doesn’t make a lot of sense beyond that for Manning or the Rams, opines Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. A report earlier today indicated that the Rams have internally discussed the possibility of pursuing the Broncos quarterback, assuming he doesn’t retire.
Rams Have Discussed Pursuing Peyton Manning
It remains to be seen whether this Sunday’s game against the Panthers will be the last of Peyton Manning‘s playing career, but most people around the league believe it will be his last game as a Bronco, says Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. According to Schefter, the Rams are monitoring the Manning situation, and have had internal discussions about bringing him to Los Angeles if he wants to continue his career.
A report surfaced earlier this week suggesting that Manning has told some friends that he expects to retire following the Super Bowl, and that comes on the heels of the veteran quarterback telling Bill Belichick after the AFC Championship game that this could be his “last rodeo.” However, speaking to reporters this week, Manning downplayed his “last rodeo” comments, and said he’d like to meet the “close friends” who are privy to his plans, suggesting that he hasn’t made a decision on his future yet.
Manning is coming off the least productive season of his long NFL career, and will turn 40 in March. Throw in the fact that he’s owed a $19MM base salary for 2016, and it’s easy to see why he might not be in the Broncos’ plans for next season, even if he decides not to retire. Brock Osweiler is eligible for free agency this winter, and Denver is expected to try to lock him up to a deal that would pay him starter-type money.
If Manning’s career continues somewhere besides Denver, Los Angeles seems like a viable destination — last week, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com identified it as perhaps the most logical potential landing spot for the former first overall pick. From the Rams’ perspective, adding a future Hall-of-Fame quarterback like Manning would help build some buzz as the team moves west from St. Louis. Currently, Nick Foles and restricted free agent Case Keenum are projected to compete for the starting job, so the team could use some veteran help at the position.
In 2015, Manning nearly led the league in interceptions, with 17, despite only playing 10 regular-season games. He also completed just 59.8% of his passes, his lowest mark since his rookie year, and his QB rating of 67.9 was a career worst. However, he has looked a little better in the postseason, having not thrown an interception in wins over the Steelers and Patriots.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Broncos Notes: Murphy, Manning, HGH
Well, this isn’t how you want to make the news on Super Bowl week. Broncos practice squad safety Ryan Murphy was involved by San Jose police in a prostitution sting, according to CBS Bay Area. Sources say that police detained a suspected prostitute in Santa Clara County and she told law enforcement that she had to go to a car to retrieve some property. Murphy was inside of that car with his brother. The safety was ultimately released by police but his brother was cited for his involvement.
The Broncos have responded by sending Murphy home to Denver, as Lindsay Jones of USA Today tweets.
Here’s more on the Broncos as they get ready for Sunday:
- A report earlier this week indicated that Peyton Manning told close friends that he is going to retire after Super Bowl 50. However, the quarterback denies that’s the case, as Mike Klis of 9NEWS writes. “I mean, close friends that I’m supposedly telling, I’d like to meet them,” Manning said. “The close friends that I have — and I do have close friends, but I don’t think any of them are close to anybody who works for the NFL Network.”
- After the AFC Championship game, boom mics picked up Manning telling coach Bill Belichick that SB50 could be his “last rodeo.” Manning says that comment isn’t as telling as the media is making it out to be. “I may play against these guys 10 more times. Brady’s going to play till he’s 70, Belichick is going to coach till he’s 90. Maybe I hit the fountain of youth in the next couple of months and play another 10 years. Who knows? But in case it was the last time I played against them in the championship,’’ Manning said, (emphasis ours, via Klis).
- Manning sat down with CBS’ Bill Cowher (Twitter link) to address the allegations of HGH use made against him late last year. In the clip, Manning says that he “welcomes” the NFL’s investigation and termed the allegations as being “complete junk.”
- Defensive end Malik Jackson sounds like a player who knows that Sunday is his last game with the team (Twitter link via Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post). “I can make myself a lot more money if I go out there and do what I know how to do and do what I’ve been doing,“
Peyton Manning Told Friends He Expects To Retire
After telling Patriots coach Bill Belichick that this postseason run might be his “last rodeo,” we now have another strong indication that Peyton Manning is leaning towards retirement. The Broncos quarterback told close friends that he expects to retire after the Super Bowl, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. 
“The reality is he let the cat out of the bag a little bit,” Rapoport said. “I also know he has told close friends that he expects this to be his last game as well.”
Manning is entering the final year of his contract with the Broncos and many have speculated that he will not be back with Denver in 2016. Manning’s understudy, Brock Osweiler, showed promise in his second-half stint as the team’s starter and he is due to hit the open market this spring. If Manning were to be brought back as the starter for 2016, Osweiler would almost certainly choose to go elsewhere as he would have numerous starting opportunities around the league. Recently, Mike Klis of 9NEWS wrote that even if Manning were to be named MVP of Super Bowl 50, he would be unlikely to be wearing orange next season. Now, it seems like Manning is intent on retiring altogether.
Of course, this has not been Manning’s easiest season. The veteran QB got off to an atrocious start in Denver, though his struggles were largely masked by the team’s 8-0 record through the first half. In the second half, the injury bug ultimately put Manning on the bench and allowed Osweiler to take control under center. In December, a documentary by Al-Jazeera America led to allegations of HGH use by the quarterback, though Manning vehemently denies such claims.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Extra Points: Manning, Hayne, Raiders, Eagles
The 49ers tried to lean on then-defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s familiarity with Peyton Manning as a recruitment tool when they, the Titans and Broncos were finalists for the then-free agent’s services, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Fangio, the Bears’ current DC and then the 49ers’ defensive boss, was the Colts’ defensive coordinator under Jim Mora from 1999-01 and recalled the back-and-forths he had with the wunderkind quarterback during their time in Indianapolis. The two would verbally jostle in practices if Manning felt the defense was playing the wrong coverage, and Fangio would counter that the practices weren’t geared only to Manning success.
Fangio thought a 49ers talented defense that had the team on the cusp of Super Bowl XLVI the season prior would be the then-36-year-old quarterback’s ticket to another championship.
“When we were talking to him about coming to the 49ers,” Fangio told Branch, “I told him we’d let him win in practice if he signed.”
Manning will play in the 49ers’ stadium Sunday, doing so in a non-preseason setting for the first time since since joining the Broncos.
Here’s the latest from around the league as the Pro Bowl’s conclusion leaves just one game remaining in the 2015 season.
- Trent Baalke still sees a place for ex-rugby standout Jarryd Hayne on the 49ers even after a regime change, Michael Chammas of the Sydney (Australia) Morning Herald reports. “[Chip Kelly is] excited to get his hands on him, the whole coaching staff is. We’ll find out in short order who fits and who doesn’t fit,” Baalke told Chammas. The Sydney-based reporter notes Hayne’s 2016 season will determine if he returns to the National Rugby League after that, with the 28-year-old being waived by the 49ers last season and re-signed to the team’s practice squad. “I think that there were enough signs that he was still ways away in respect to development, that we felt there was a good chance he would make it through waivers and we’d be able to put him on our practice,” Baalke said of the soon-to-be-28-year-old running back.
- Ryan Clady earlier today said he’d be willing to rework his contract to help the Broncos, which would increase his chances of being on the team for a ninth season. Entering his age-30 campaign off of two season-ending injuries in three seasons, Clady intimated to Arnie Stapleton of the Associated Press he’s ready for offseason work after undergoing surgery in June 2015, but said the Broncos may want him to skip OTAs to be ready for training camp. A former first-team All-Pro, Clady tore his ACL during OTAs last season, prompting the Broncos to sign current left tackle Ryan Harris as an emergency replacement.
- The NFL doesn’t see Oakland coming up with a viable stadium plan in the near future, Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News tweets. The Raiders are scouring the Pacific Time Zone for other avenues and haven’t discussed a new stadium since the owners’ meetings Jan. 12.
- Sam Bradford faces a complex decision on whether to return to the Eagles, and the Texans will be their primary competition, should the seventh-year former No. 1 overall pick reach free agency, the Philadelphia Daily News writes. Paul Domowitch writes the Kelly trade target will depart due to the Texans having a superior defense and Doug Pederson‘s arrival negating the familiarity edge for the Eagles, while John Smallwood notes the Broncos could be in play, should they decide Brock Osweiler won’t be enough to keep them in the Super Bowl conversation. Overall, 11 of the 19 Daily News staffers polled, however, indicated Bradford would be back on the Eagles in ’16.
Ryan Clady Willing To Rework Contract
Broncos left tackle Ryan Clady is willing to rework his current contract to stay in Denver, according to Arnie Stapleton of the Associated Press. Clady, who has spent his entire career in the Mile High City, was one of the most durable players in the league–and also one of the best–before landing on IR in September 2013 with a season-ending Lisfranc injury. He played the entire 2014 campaign but he tore his ACL during OTAs in May 2015 and has missed the entire 2015 season. The Broncos will have appeared in two of the last three Super Bowls, and Clady will have missed both.
In July 2013, the two-time First-Team All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler signed a five-year, $52.5MM contract with the Broncos, and he has seen action in only two games of the subsequent three seasons. He is on the books for a $9.5MM base salary in 2016, which does not include any guarantees, which makes him a prime candidate for a pay cut or restructure. Clady will be just 30 when the 2016 season begins, so he may certainly have a couple more quality seasons left in him, assuming he can overcome his recent spate of injuries.
Given that the Broncos will likely go into 2016 with a young signal-caller, Clady’s presence could be invaluable for the club moving forward. Now that he has publicly declared his willingness to rework his present deal, the Broncos should be in a better position to address some of its top priorities this offseason, including a new contract for Von Miller.
Clady did say that the Broncos have not yet approached him about his contract status, but he expects the team to do so after the season. Said Clady, “I’m definitely willing to talk. I definitely would like to be a lifetime Bronco.” Clady is currently the longest-tenured member of the club.
Extra Points: Broncos, Fins, Bengals, Cowboys
Broncos director of pro personnel Tom Heckert won’t get to watch his club take on the Panthers in Super Bowl 50, as he revealed that he’s been dealing with a “very treatable blood disorder,” writes Mike Klis of 9News. Heckert, formerly the general manager of the Browns, has been on medical leave since the start of the second half of the regular season. PFR joins the NFL community in wishing Heckert all the best in his recovery.
Now let’s take a quick spin around the league:
- Concussions increased league-wide in 2015, the NFL announced in its annual injury report. Reported concussions rose from 115 in 2014 to 182 this past year, and the league will study why that was the case, according to Howard Fendrich of the Associated Press.
- New Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph praised Bengals defensive backs Reggie Nelson and Adam Jones during his introductory press conference, and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald expects Miami to target both in free agency. Joseph is tasked with turning around a Dolphins defense that ranked in the bottom 10 of DVOA, and improving the secondary is a logical first step. Aside from safety Reshad Jones, Miami doesn’t have very many immovable objects in its defensive backfield.
- Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence recently underwent back surgery, but he should be able to return “when it matters,” a source tells Todd Archer of ESPN.com. As Archer notes, Dallas head coach Jason Garrett was hesitant to put a timetable on Lawrence’s recovery when speaking at the Senior Bowl. Lawrence took a big leap forward in his second NFl season, starting 13 games and posting eight sacks in the process.
West Notes: Raiders, Chargers, Kubiak, Stewart
In the news plenty this week for their flirtations with other cities, the Raiders haven’t engaged in any formal talks with Oakland about a new stadium, Matthew Artz of the Bay Area News Group reports.
Although the Raiders have discussed another one-year lease to play in their current home, O.co Coliseum, Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf confirmed no negotiations on a long-term playing site have occurred since relocation meetings took place Jan. 12 in Houston.
“I recognize that the Raiders have a powerful brand and that they will always have options outside of Oakland,” Schaaf said. “And, I remain committed to proving to them that Oakland has the most to offer them.”
The Raiders have been since connected to San Antonio, San Diego and, most recently, Las Vegas in their desperate attempt to leave Oakland and secure a new stadium. But Los Angeles will still be their most likely landing spot if the Chargers reach a deal with San Diego on a stadium agreement. They remain second in line to share the Inglewood stadium with the Rams if the Chargers end up succeeding on their leverage move in San Diego.
Any Chargers deal for a publicly aided new stadium will likely need to be finalized by this summer, Artz writes, in order to get the initiative on the November ballot. If not, the Raiders’ Los Angeles path clears.
“If the alternative is no deal in Oakland … or going to this fabulous new facility and not having to put any equity into it, it would be very hard for a reasonable businessman to turn that down,” stadium consultant Marc Ganis told Artz.
Here is the latest news on the Raiders and some of the other Western-division franchises.
- In a memo sent to all 32 teams, the league notifies franchises that they shouldn’t assume the Raiders will be barred from moving to Las Vegas and no such restrictions exist on teams moving to a particular city, Vincent Bonsignore of InsideSoCal.com reports. Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk notes such a move would be extremely unlikely to receive the 24 required votes from fellow owners.
- In a long profile of top Chargers counsel Mark Fabiani, who will presumably be involved along with Dean Spanos when the two sides resume negotiations, the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Peter Rowe hears the Chargers were disinterested about the new stadium site when the sides last talked. This, of course, was before the owners designated Stan Kroenke‘s Inglewood site as Los Angeles’ new football epicenter. “[Fabiani] told us the Chargers were agnostic when it came to the stadium’s new location — it really didn’t matter to them. He told us to settle on a site, spend your time analyzing these two sites and then come up with a financial plan. That’s what we did,” said Tony Manolatos, spokesman for San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer’s stadium task force, “and then he was criticizing us every step of the way.” Prior to the owners’ decision, this stance, county supervisor Ron Roberts told Rowe, was designed to make it look like the Chargers were “unloved” in San Diego.
- Spanos overplayed his hand in his all-out pursuit of Los Angeles, Nick Canepa of the Union-Tribune writes. With talks set to likely increase between the Chargers and San Diego after being dormant for months, Canepa writes the city’s business power structure need to put their weight toward making the team’s preferred downtown stadium happen.
- When Mike Shanahan left his post as the then-Super Bowl champion 49ers OC in early 1995 to become the Broncos’ head coach, the 49ers wanted to give their OC job to then-33-year-old Gary Kubiak, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. Kubiak instead accepted the same position with Shanahan in Denver and held that job for 11 seasons, which eventually led to his return in 2015.
- Officially questionable, Broncos safeties T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart each vowed to play in Super Bowl 50. While Ward’s ankle injury isn’t expected to keep him out, Stewart may have a harder time playing effectively. The first-year Broncos safety’s sprained MCL’s made it difficult thus far for lateral movement, with the former Ravens back-line bastion being able to only run in a straight line in his week off from practice, per Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Stewart told media, including Pat Graham of the Associated Press, “Without a doubt in my mind, I’m playing.”
West Notes: Chargers, Kaepernick, Manning
Those familiar with the proposal put on the table in Houston earlier this month for a Rams/Chargers partnership tell Sam Farmer and Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times that it makes more sense for the second team – the Chargers – to be a tenant instead of a co-owner for the Rams’ stadium project. As such, if the Chargers end up moving to Los Angeles, it will probably be as Stan Kroenke‘s tenant.
As Farmer and Fenno explain, the proposal that surfaced in Houston has remained relatively unchanged for the last two and a half weeks, so the current situation is viewed as “less of a back-and-forth negotiation than a choice confronting the Chargers.”
As we wait to find out what the Chargers decide, let’s check in on some items from around the NFL’s West divisions…
- Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, 49ers CEO Jed York pointed to the team’s salary cap room as one reason why it’s viable for Colin Kaepernick to remain in San Francisco in 2016. “This is a fresh start for everybody,” York said, per Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News. “Colin needs to get back healthy, be ready to come in and compete, and we’ll see where it goes.”
- Joel Corry of CBSSports.com examines Peyton Manning‘s options if the future Hall-of-Famer decides to continue his career in 2016. Corry believes the Rams look like a logical suitor for Manning if the Broncos decided they didn’t want to keep him.
- Chip Kelly has added another assistant to his coaching staff, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the 49ers have hired Colts safeties coach Roy Anderson as their defensive backs coach.
- Former Bears assistant Skip Peete is joining the Rams as the team’s new running backs coach, a source tells Thayer Evans of SI.com. Peete has previously served as the RBs coach in Oakland, Dallas, and Chicago.
- After undergoing surgery for Papillary Type 2 last spring, Seahawks defensive tackle Jesse Williams, who spent the 2015 season on the non-football illness list, tweets that he has been cleared to return to action. Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times provides some details on Williams, who is eligible for exclusive rights free agency.
AFC Notes: Browns, Raiders, Chargers, Manning
Although Hue Jackson‘s recent comments have seemingly indicated a preference the Browns move on from Johnny Manziel, Jimmy Haslam knows the sides can mend their damaged relationship, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.
The Browns’ owner admitted both his regime and the team’s previous power structure have made critical misjudgments in the draft, he does not like the idea of moving on from a No. 1 pick that’s contributed so little to the franchise.
“Oh, yeah, I don’t think there’s any question about that,” Haslam told media about being able to go forward with Manziel. “We talked to Johnny before he left [for the offseason]. I know a big deal was made that Hue hasn’t called Johnny yet. Well, we’ve got 53 players on the active [roster] and 10 more [on reserve/futures deals], and there were a couple of other real prominent players that he just talked to in the last day or two. So I’m sure he’ll get around to talking to him.”
Jackson hasn’t sounded too optimistic regarding Manziel, who entered rehab but endured several alcohol-related slip-ups during the season, with the new Cleveland coach saying Manziel’s alleged secret excursion to Las Vegas while in concussion protocol would have been a “non-starter” under his watch. In between, the 23-year-old Manziel started six games and completed 57% of his passes, throwing for seven touchdowns and five interceptions.
Here’s some more Browns- and AFC-related news.
- Haslam said there is no awkwardness between him and newly rehired DC Ray Horton, Ulrich tweets. The owner told media, including Ulrich, Horton did a good job as the Browns’ DC in his one-and-done stint in 2013. The Browns ranked ninth defensively under Horton that season. The Browns ranked 27th in 2015 and 23rd in 2014 in total defense.
- Should the Browns select Carson Wentz with their No. 2 overall pick, “they’ll be set for 15 years,” an NFL personnel man whose team does not need a quarterback told Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “He’s the best quarterback in the draft. If I were picking at No. 2, I’d take him. It will solve all of their problems and they’d get that team turned around,” the personnel man said. Sources told Cabot the Browns’ interest in Wentz is real, and although most mock drafts don’t have the North Dakota State fifth-year senior going off the board that soon, Jackson has experience coaching a Division I-FCS first-rounder. He helped guide Joe Flacco, chosen out of Delaware in 2008, previously.
- New Dolphins DC Vance Joseph will allow Ndamukong Suh to provide input, and the new coach is trying to forge a relationship with the league’s highest-paid defender, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. Suh, per a teammate, did not have much use for since-fired DC Kevin Coyle. Suh’s requested input regarding the Dolphins’ scheme, and Joseph said he’d listen.
- Miami’s also open to giving former top-five pick Dion Jordan another chance despite his rampant trouble with the league, Jackson reports. Jordan hasn’t played since participating in 10 games in 2014. The league suspended the former No. 3 overall pick for the entire 2015 season for violations of its substance-abuse policy. The Dolphins would allow a potential Jordan return to the team, providing he’s clean and if the league reinstates him in April, Jackson writes.
- With Raiders owner Mark Davis‘ planned trip to Las Vegas on Friday to possibly discuss the Raiders playing in a planned $1 billion domed stadium representing Thursday’s biggest news, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk cautions fans to slow down on any Las Vegas Raiders-themed discussions. Using Tony Romo‘s cancelled fantasy football convention at a Las Vegas Sands-owned, non-gambling facility last summer as an example, Florio does not believe the NFL will allow the Raiders to move to Vegas. The NFL previously said a Vegas-hosted Pro Bowl or merely a single game would not likely be sanctioned.
- The Chargers hired recently fired Patriots offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo as an offensive line assistant, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (on Twitter). DeGuglielmo will work alongside Jeff Davidson with the Bolts’ linemen.
- Should Peyton Manning determine Super Bowl 50 isn’t his “last rodeo,” the Broncos would have a difficult choice on their hands, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com writes. Should Manning return, he’s due to occupy an untenable $21.5MM cap hold next season. If Manning helps Denver win the Super Bowl, John Elway could be faced with a choice akin to what Ted Thompson encountered in 2008, when Brett Favre‘s backtracking forced an awkward trade. But Aaron Rodgers being under contract and Brock Osweiler not differentiates the scenarios. Corry argues the cleanest solution, albeit one that would put Elway in a complicated spot in terms of PR, would be to release Manning, sign Osweiler to a long-term deal and free up $19MM in cap space. If Manning decided he wanted to play again despite this, Corry cites the Rams and Texans as teams that would fit the soon-to-be-40-year-old quarterback’s needs, with their strong defenses and warm-weather or climate-controlled settings.