Contract Details: Jordan, Chester, Harris
A handful of salary and bonus details for recently-signed contracts have been reported so far today, so let’s round up the highlights. Deals whose details have been reported but aren’t noted here, such as Jerrell Powe‘s with Washington or Trindon Holliday‘s with the Raiders, are one-year, minimum salary pacts with no guaranteed money.
- Cameron Jordan, DE (Saints): Six years, $61.969MM (five years, $55MM in new money). $16MM signing bonus. $6MM roster bonus on fifth day of 2016 league year. Salary cap figures of $4.169MM (2015), $12.8MM (2016), $10.3MM (2017), $12.5MM (2018), $12.3MM (2019), and $9.9MM (2020) (link via Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post).
- Chris Chester, G/C (Falcons): One year, $2.8MM. $550K signing bonus. $1.55MM base salary. $700K in per-game roster bonuses (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN.com).
- Ryan Harris, T (Broncos): One year, $920K base value. $50K signing bonus. $870K base salary. Up to $500K in incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Michael Buchanan, DE/OLB (Bills): Two years, $1.285MM. $25K roster bonus in 2016. No guaranteed money (Twitter link via Wilson).
West Notes: Bowlen, L.A., Kaepernick, Seahawks
Broncos owner Pat Bowlen‘s son John Bowlen Jr. was released on a $1,000 bond after being arrested on suspicion of third-degree assault and harassment stemming from a domestic violence incident Wednesday night, reports Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post.
Bowlen Jr. allegedly pushed his girlfriend against a wall as she was trying to call the police as a result of his “erratic behavior,” per Jhabvala. She told police he was under the influence of nitrous oxide and alcohol.
“This is the owner of the Denver Broncos. I am sorry. Nothing is wrong,” Bowlen Jr., 29, said when he picked up the phone, according to the police report.
The Broncos placed him on an indefinite leave of absence. Bowlen Jr. works as an administrative employee with the team but is a candidate to take over when Pat Bowlen, 71 and stricken with Alzheimer’s, decides to cede ownership to one of his seven children. Per Jhabvala, Bowlen Jr. had drug charges dismissed and was arrested under suspicion of alcohol-induced driving in 2003 and 2005, respectively.
Here are some (lighter) notes from the Western divisions.
- The Rams may have adjusted contracts with seasonal contractors to coincide with the NFL’s February 2016 deadline for relocation bid submissions, reports Brian Feldt of the St. Louis Business Journal. According to Feldt, these contracts typically run from May to May, but with owner Stan Kroenke securing land in Inglewood, Calif., for a possible $2 billion stadium, he likely plans on posting a bid between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15, 2016. Two Rams contractors told Feldt their contracts were changed, with the Rams saying telling one it’s to coincide with the end of the season.
- The NFL will hold a special owners meeting Aug. 11 in Chicago on the topic of the three-team Los Angeles relocation derby, according to Daniel Kaplan of the Sports Business Journal (via Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Miklasz notes this date is important for St. Louis in its effort to securing a site and funding for a new stadium on the north Mississippi riverfront. The Post-Dispatch columnist also notes the NFL is expected to let teams apply for relocation starting this fall.
- League executive Eric Grubman, who’s serving as the NFL’s point man on the Los Angeles efforts, told reporters the special meeting will determine if the NFL needs to provide an “expedited timetable” for teams looking to move, meaning the Feb. 16 deadline could indeed be moved up, according to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com. For San Diego’s prospects, Williams reports Chargers and NFL officials think the $1.1 billion proposal put forth by a local advisory group for a stadium in Mission Valley, Calif., is “nowhere near enough” to bring about an actionable plan to keep the Chargers in the city they’ve played in since 1961.
- The Rams appear to have more zone-blocking concepts in store this season under new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr., reports Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. And though Todd Gurley remains a ways away from full practices, the rookie runner worked on some straight-line speed with Rams trainer Byron Cunningham and caught passes from rookie quarterback Sean Mannion, although those weren’t at full speed.
- After working at EXOS training facility in Phoenix from January to April, Colin Kaepernick appears to have a quicker release, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Entering his third full season as the 49ers QB, Kaepernick is expected to return to the facility to finish up his offseason work in July.
- Albert Wilson joined Dontari Poe in leaving early from Chiefs OTA practice, exiting Thursday’s workout due to a hamstring injury. Poe departed Wednesday’s workout with a back ailment, reports Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
- Speaking at a town hall meeting with fans, Pete Carroll noted this team’s depth may be the best it’s been in his tenure. Of course, town hall addresses aren’t exactly hard-hitting reports, but offensive line coach Tom Cable said the competition to replace Max Unger could soon be down to two or three players, according to the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta. Lemuel Jeanpierre is leading that competition — or at least receiving the first opportunity to do so by trotting out with the starters in OTAs.
Broncos Sign Heuerman, Lock Up Draft Class
The Broncos have signed third-round tight end Jeff Heuerman, locking up their entire 2015 draft class, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post. The team signed top pick Shane Ray earlier this week, after securing second-rounder Ty Sambrailo and its other six draftees in May.
Heuerman, the 92nd overall pick in this year’s draft, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during rookie camp last month and is expected to miss the entire 2015 season. The former Ohio State Buckeye won’t go on the injured reserve list quite yet, since he’d have to pass through waivers to be placed on IR at this point, but he’ll likely land there eventually.
“I feel terrible for Jeff and this is a very unfortunate situation,” said Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak, after Heuerman’s ACL injury. “Jeff was going to be a big part of our team this year, and he’s still going to be a big part of our team and organization in the future.”
Heuerman, who is expected to make a full recovery in time for the 2016 season, will get a signing bonus worth just under $621K on his rookie contract, which will be worth about $2.9MM over four years. While he recovers from his ACL tear, the Broncos will have to make do with a stable of tight ends led by offseason signee Owen Daniels.
Extra Points: Wells, Broncos, Raiders
Former Rams center Scott Wells is paying a visit to the Titans today, a league source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The 34-year-old, who earned a Pro Bowl berth during his final season with the Packers in 2011, played his college ball at Tennessee, so it would be a homecoming of sorts if he were to sign with the Titans.
- Tight end Jeff Heuerman is the Broncos‘ only remaining unsigned draft pick but his deal is likely to get done later this week, Troy Renck of The Denver Post tweets. Earlier today, first round choice Shane Ray put pen to paper with Denver.
- After signing blocking tight end Lee Smith away from Buffalo and using a third-round pick on Miami’s Clive Walford, the Raiders are hoping to get significant production out of their TEs this season, Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com writes. He notes that tight end versatility is essential in Bill Musgrave’s offense, particularly when they go up-tempo.
- North Carolina Central wide receiver/kick returner Adrian Wilkins will enter the Supplemental Draft, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. As a sophomore, Wilkins returned five kicks for touchdowns, three kickoffs and two punts and was given All-American honors for his play.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Broncos Sign Shane Ray
The Broncos announced that they have signed first-round pick Shane Ray, as Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post tweets. Denver selected Ray with No. 23 overall pick.
Ray, 22, opted to go pro following his junior season at Missouri. Ray was projected by some to be a top ten prospect early on in the process, but an arrest for marijuana possession a few days prior to the draft may have hurt his stock somewhat. The Broncos gave up the No. 28 pick, a fifth-rounder (143), a 2016 fifth-rounder, and offensive lineman Manny Ramirez to move up to the No. 23.
Denver believes that Ray has a bright future in the NFL and that comes as little surprise given his pedigree. Shane’s father, Wendell, was also a star at Missouri and was a fifth round draft pick in the 1981 NFL Draft by the Vikings.
Poll: Will Demaryius Thomas Sign Long-Term Deal?
Four franchise-tagged players remain unsigned, and last week I asked Pro Football Rumors readers whether Justin Houston, Dez Bryant, and Jason Pierre-Paul would sign long-term contracts with their respective teams this summer. In all three instances, most respondents believed that those stars are more likely to play out the 2015 season on a one-year franchise tender rather than signing a multiyear extension.
We’ll see if we buck that trend today, as we examine the fourth and final franchised player who is still technically a free agent. Demaryius Thomas received a $12.823MM tender from the Broncos, but has yet to sign, as the two sides mull a longer-term agreement.
Thomas has been a candidate for a contract extension for quite some time, and I explored his case for a lucrative multiyear pact last June. At the time, I noted that Peyton Manning‘s uncertain future in Denver muddies the waters on a deal for Thomas. After all, if he were to tack on four or five new seasons to his current franchise tag, Thomas would likely play out the majority of that contract with a quarterback besides Manning at the helm. Considering the bump Thomas’ numbers have received from Manning in recent years, that makes it tricky to ascertain the wideout’s value.
Still, even if the Broncos and Thomas may have a hard time pinpointing an annual salary (and an amount of guaranteed money) that makes sense for both sides, it would surprise me if they didn’t reach an accord at some point, likely before this year’s July 15 deadline. After all, the Broncos have let standout pass catchers like Eric Decker and Julius Thomas leave via free agency during the past two offseasons. Demaryius Thomas is a better all-around receiver than either of those players, and it makes sense that Denver would set aside some money and some cap space to eventually lock him up, rather than giving massive deals to lesser pass-catchers.
The last real update we heard on Thomas came back in April, when GM John Elway expressed some mild annoyance that the wideout wasn’t at Denver’s voluntary offseason workouts. However, Elway also reiterated at that point that extending Thomas is a top priority for the Broncos. I think it’ll happen within the next few weeks. What do you think?
Will Demaryius Thomas sign a long-term extension by July 15?
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No 64% (135)
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Yes 36% (77)
Total votes: 212
Extra Points: Thurmond, Bell, Bolden
This point in the offseason can be slow with big news that actually has on-the-field consequences. This past week only saw a few notable signings and one major training camp injury. However, a few camp notes include some players who are looking to step into new positions this coming NFL season:
- Walter Thurmond signed with the Eagles thinking he might have a chance to compete for a starting cornerback job, but now it looks like he could end up being the starter at safety, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Thurmond cited the defensive scheme allowing safeties to make plays on the football as the reason he was open to the switch. Thurmond, who previously played for the Seahawks and Giants, has only had experience as an outside cornerback and nickelback in his five-year career.
- Byron Bell struggled at left tackle for the Panthers in 2014, ranking 83rd out of 84 qualifying tackles who played at least 25% of offensive snaps for their respective teams, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The Titans believe that moving Bell back to right tackle will be the catalyst for an uptick in his performance, writes John Glennon of the Tennesseean. Pro Football Focus didn’t grade him much better as a right tackle between 2011 and 2013, only getting as high as 53rd over those three years.
- Broncos return specialist Omar Bolden was electric on his ten kick returns in 2014, but he is looking to make a bigger impact next season. He hopes that in addition to winning full-time kick return duty, he would also like to return punts for the Broncos, writes Troy Renck of the Denver Post.
West Notes: Bowman, Chiefs, Bolts, Broncos
The latest from the NFL’s two West divisions:
- Three-time All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman isn’t completely back from the torn ACL and MCL that caused him to miss the 2014 season, but the 49ers’ linebacker is making strides. Bowman practiced with the 49ers three times this week and took a high number of reps, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. He was, however, limited by a knee brace. “I don’t like it,” said Bowman. “It’s not allowing me to run as fast as I’d like to, but it’s keeping my knee safe, and that’s the most important thing.”
- The Chiefs made a big splash in free agency when they signed star receiver Jeremy Maclin, but their Alex Smith-led offense is still lacking aerial weaponry, writes Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. The Chiefs don’t any proven pass-catching threats outside of Maclin and tight end Travis Kelce.
- Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is excited about the development of second-year center Chris Watt, reports Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. “Seeing a guy, even from his rookie year to his second-year offseason like this stage we’re in right now, he’s just got a different presence about him,” Rivers said of Watt, who appeared in 12 games as a rookie and whom ProFootballFocus (subscription required) ranked 20th out of 41 qualifying centers.
- The Broncos haven’t finished better than 18th in the NFL in yards per punt return over the last three years, so special teams coach Joe DeCamillis is heavily emphasizing competition for punt-return duties, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post. “We’ve got to find what our guys do best. And we’ll do that as we go forward, but I think in this stadium I know you have to be a really good punt-return team,” said DeCamillis, who has given return reps to Jordan Norwood, Isaiah Burse, Kyle Williams, Solomon Patton, Omar Bolden, and Emmanuel Sanders during OTAs.
- The 49ers lost starting cornerbacks Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox in free agency, but Tramaine Brock and Shareece Wright are expected to fill their void capably. What’s more, head coach Jim Tomsula liked what he saw from some of San Francisco’s other corners during OTAs. “We are talking about all this evaluating and we don’t have any pads on,” Tomsula said, per Cam Inman of the Mercury News. “But everything that is being asked of them, the way they are moving around, the running, all that stuff, good.”
Ryan Clady Tears ACL, Out For Year
FRIDAY, 11:27am: The Broncos didn’t wait long to determine that Clady’s season is officially over, placing him on injured reserve today, per Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link). The veteran tackle is on the books for a $9.5MM base salary in 2016, which doesn’t include any guarantees, so it’s possible that he’ll have to take a pay cut to remain with Denver next year, depending on how his recovery goes.
THURSDAY, 2:25pm: Speaking to reporters today, head coach Gary Kubiak said that the team won’t officially rule Clady out for the 2015 season quite yet, and that the short-term IR list could be an option. With Clady out, the initial plan is to leave Clark at right tackle, with Sambrailo and Schofield in the mix on the left side (Twitter links via Lindsay Jones of USA Today).
1:25pm: The man responsible for protecting Peyton Manning‘s blind side may miss the entire 2015 season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Schefter reports that Ryan Clady, Denver’s starting left tackle, tore his ACL during practice on Wednesday and will likely be sidelined for the year.
Clady, 28, has manned the left tackle spot for the Broncos since being drafted in the first round by the team in 2008. The veteran tackle has earned four Pro Bowl berths and two All-Pro nods, starting every game for Denver in every season except 2013, when he went down in September with a season-ending Lisfranc injury — Clady’s ACL tear figures to be his second season-ending injury in the last three years.
According to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required), Clady didn’t rank among the league’s top tackles in 2014, with his -2.8 grade putting him in about the middle of the pack. Still, he logged 1,084 offensive snaps and allowed Peyton Manning to be sacked just twice, making him a steady and reliable presence on the Broncos’ offensive line.
With Clady out of action, the Broncos will be forced to find a replacement at yet another spot on their line, after making several changes to the group already this offseason. Orlando Franklin signed with the division-rival Chargers as a free agent, and Manuel Ramirez was sent to Detroit in a draft-day trade. Free agent signee Shelley Smith and trade acquisition Gino Gradkowski are expected to get the first opportunities to step into the starting lineup, though now another new starter will have to step up as well.
Right tackle Chris Clark shifted over to the left side when Clady went down two years ago, and could be asked to do so again in 2015. Michael Schofield, a 2014 third-round pick, and Ty Sambrailo, 2015’s second-rounder, are candidates to compete for playing time at either left or right tackle.
Broncos Sign Ryan Harris
FRIDAY, 8:25am: The Broncos have officially announced the Harris signing (via Twitter).
THURSDAY, 2:42pm: In the wake of news of Ryan Clady‘s torn ACL, the Broncos have moved quickly to secure some veteran depth, agreeing to terms with free agent tackle Ryan Harris, according to Adam Schefter and Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Mike Klis of the Denver Post tweeted earlier this afternoon that the club would likely show interest in Harris.
Harris, who turned 30 earlier this offseason, was originally selected by the Broncos in the third round of the 2007 draft, and spent several seasons with the team before joining Gary Kubiak‘s Texans. So he has plenty of history with the Broncos’ organization and coaching staff. Most recently, Harris spent the 2014 season in Kansas City, where he started 15 games for the Chiefs.
Despite the fact that he hadn’t been a regular starter since 2010, Harris played reasonably well at right tackle for the Chiefs last season, ranking 38th out of 84 qualified tackles, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). PFF graded Harris slightly better as a run blocker than a pass blocker in his 980 offensive snaps.
In Denver, Harris will join a group of offensive tackles competing for playing time on both the right and left sides of the line. With Clady sidelined, neither position is set in stone, and Harris figures to be in the mix along with Chris Clark, Michael Schofield, and Ty Sambrailo, among others.
Details of Harris’ contract have yet to be reported, but given how quickly it came together, and how late in the offseason it is, I’d expect a one-year, minimum salary pact.