West Notes: Raiders, Cardinals, Broncos
Let’s check out the latest from the West divisions, where the Broncos signed cornerback Chris Harris to a five-year extension earlier this evening…
- Raiders owner Mark Davis gave general manager Reggie McKenzie another vote of confidence today, perhaps mitigating the sentiment that McKenzie won’t last in Oakland past this season. “He is my guy right now, absolutely,” Davis told Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News (Twitter link). While the “right now” qualifier could lead to speculation that McKenzie is still a candidate to be fired, Davis has given similar declarations before, and the Raiders have won two of their past three games.
- Because Drew Stanton is expected to return at some point this season, the Cardinals will probably opt to sign just a practice-squad quarterback, if they sign one at all, head coach Bruce Arians told Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (via Twitter).
- John Fox expects other teams to be interested in interviewing his coordinators for head-coaching positions, according to Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. Broncos OC Adam Gase is only 36 years old but he was a candidate for several jobs last offseason, while DC Jack Del Rio would offer previous experience as a head coach, having served in that role with the Jaguars from 2003-11.
- Chargers defensive end Dwight Freeney and tight end Antonio Gates are getting up there in years, but it sounds like both men have different things in mind for 2015, as Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego writes. Freeney will weigh retirement after this season while Gates has every intention of finishing out his contract, which runs through next year.
- Seahawks defensive lineman Michael Bennett is playing on nearly 30% more snaps than he did last season, and he believes his four-year, $28.5MM contract is the impetus for the increase. “When they pay you a lot of money they want you on the field all the time,” Bennett told Terry Blount of ESPN.com. “That’s just how it is.”
Zach Links contributed to this post.
AFC West Notes: Streater, Mathews, Workouts
Having carried 52 players instead of 53 since Tuesday, it appeared as if the Raiders were saving a roster spot for wide receiver Rod Streater, who received the designation to return earlier in the year, and is now eligible to come off the IR list. However, Tom Pelissero of USA Today reports (via Twitter) that Streater will be inactive for the rest of the season, rehabbing his foot injury and preparing for the 2015 campaign. That means that open spot on Oakland’s 53-man roster will likely be used on another player.
Let’s round up a few more items from around the AFC West….
- After five up and down seasons in San Diego, Ryan Mathews will be eligible for unrestricted free agency at season’s end, and Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune believes the running back’s time left with the Chargers can be measured in weeks. In Acee’s view, Mathews’ injury history should have the team looking for other options, in spite of the 27-year-old’s obvious talents.
- We previously heard that the Broncos worked out former Dolphins quarterback Seth Lobato this week, but the team auditioned a dozen more players, including five wide receivers, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The full list: WR Chandler Jones, WR Jeremy Kelley, WR Alex Neutz, WR Kerry Taylor, WR Kyle Williams, RB Tim Cornett, RB Turner Petersen, TE Jake Byrne, TE Xavier Grimble, OL Bruce Doyle, OL Andrew Miller, and DE Shawn Lemon.
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun passes along details on the Raiders‘ most recent visits and workouts, in a pair of tweets: Oakland tried out tight end running backs Terrance Cobb and Ronnie Wingo, as well as wide receiver Clyde Gates. The club also received a visit from running back David Fluellen.
- The Chiefs worked out wide receiver Corbin Louks and defensive end Zach Thompson, Wilson adds in another tweet.
2015 Salary Cap Projected At $138.6MM+
THURSDAY, 9:35am: According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Facebook link), the NFLPA sent out a memo today to agents and contract advisors, expressing concern that the league is underestimating the cap’s likely growth for 2015. The union intends to issue its own projections in the coming months, based on “analysis of expected revenue.”
WEDNESDAY, 4:55pm: NFL team owners and executives attending the league’s annual labor seminar on Tuesday and the owner meetings in Dallas today have been informed that the 2015 salary cap for teams is currently projected to be $138.6MM, according to reports from Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link) and Jarrett Bell of USA Today. Bell indicates that execs were given a ballpark figure of $138-141MM, while Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) puts the estimated figures at between $138.6MM and $141.8MM.
The 2014 cap number for the league’s 32 teams is $133MM, so even an increase to about $138MM would represent a modest bump. But it’s worth noting that at this time last year, the projected figure for 2014 was $126.3MM — the actual ’14 figure ended up being nearly $7MM higher than that.
If 2015’s number exceeds these initial projections as well, it would fall in line with reports we heard way back in February and March. At that point, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com indicated that a cap number of over $140MM for 2015 seemed likely, while Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested a ballpark figure of $145MM.
We’ll have to wait until well after the Super Bowl to learn the actual figures, but it seems certain that the salary cap will continue its healthy rise. That’s good news for teams dealing with oversized contracts and an abundance of dead money, or teams that will need to extend key free-agents-to-be. The Broncos (Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas, Chris Harris) and Lions (Ndamukong Suh) are two clubs that could have an easier time retaining their prospective free agents with a significant bump to the cap.
Practice Squad Updates: Wednesday
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad signings and cuts, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Raiders announced that they have filled their two open practice squad spots, signing wide receiver Kenny Shaw and tight end Evan Wilson. Shaw, a former standout at Florida State, briefly spent time with the Browns and Jaguars. Wilson was among the Dolphins final cuts in August, and he had workouts with the Patriots and Giants earlier this season.
- The Seahawks have signed linebacker Mike Zimmer, tweets Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. Zimmer (no relation to the coach) played with the Vikings during the preseason.
Earlier updates:
- Cornerback Kennard Cox has signed with the Seahawks‘ taxi squad, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Cox last played in the NFL with Seattle in 2011.
- The 49ers have filled the last opening on their practice squad by signing offensive tackle Chris Martin, per Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter).
- According to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter), the two openings on the Lions’ practice squad have now been filled, as the team added wide receiver Skye Dawson and linebacker Jerrell Harris.
- The Cowboys have made a change to their practice squad, replacing defensive end Lavar Edwards with cornerback Micah Pellerin, says Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter link). Edwards lands on the team’s practice squad IR list.
- The Panthers have re-signed running back Tauren Poole to their practice squad, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Poole had a very brief stint on the active roster earlier this season when Carolina was dealing with several injuries in the backfield.
- Wide receiver Alec Lemon, a former local high school standout, has joined the Ravens‘ taxi squad, filling the 10th and final spot, according to a team release.
- The Broncos have filled the lone opening on their practice squad by adding defensive end Gerald Rivers back to the unit, per ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold (via Twitter). Rivers, who tried out for the Giants this week, was cut last week from Denver’s 53-man roster.
- The Buccaneers have removed tight end Taylor Sloat from their practice squad, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (Twitter link), who says the move may indicate improving health for the team’s tight ends. Linebacker Ka’Lial Glaud has replaced Sloat on the squad.
- With outside linebacker Jason Ankrah having been promoted to the Texans‘ active roster, former Clemson defensive end Kourtnei Brown has been added to Houston’s practice squad to replace Ankrah, tweets Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle.
West Notes: L.A., Kaepernick, Workouts
While the Broncos could clinch the AFC West with a victory in San Diego this weekend, the race over in the NFC West is getting more interesting by the week. The 10-3 Cardinals head to St. Louis this Thursday as underdogs against the 6-7 Rams, and an Arizona loss, combined with a Seahawks win over the reeling 49ers, would set up a huge Week 16 battle between the two division leaders in Arizona.
As we look forward to seeing how this week’s games play out, let’s round up a few items out of the NFL’s two West divisions….
- No major developments involving Los Angeles are expected at this week’s NFL owner meetings, and a source tells Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link) that the league isn’t anticipating movement on the L.A. front until the new year.
- In an Insider-only piece, Mike Sando of ESPN.com takes a closer look at Colin Kaepernick‘s future in San Francisco. Sando notes that moving away from Kaepernick quickly likely isn’t an option for the 49ers, but suggests making changes to the club’s coaching staff and offensive system could help get the young QB back on the right track.
- The Broncos tried out former Dolphins quarterback Seth Lobato today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The club is likely considering him for a potential reserve/futures contract at season’s end.
- The Rams, who recently extended punter Johnny Hekker, also recently worked out punter Michael Palardy, tweets Wilson. Of course, with Hekker – one of the league’s best specialists – locked up for several seasons, the Rams were likely looking at Palardy because he’s a left-footed kicker, rather than because they have interest in signing him.
Minor Moves: Monday
Here are Monday’s minor transactions, including practice squad signings and cuts, from around the NFL:
- As Cowboys defensive back Tyler Patmon continues to improve from a sprained knee, the team has parted ways with another cornerback. Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com writes that the Cowboys have waived Micah Pellerin. The 26-year-old has appeared in three games this season with Dallas.
- The Chargers placed offensive lineman Ryan Miller on their reserve/non-football injury list last week, but the team changed course today. Miller was moved to the injured reserve list and subsequently waived with an injury settlement, tweets Howard Balzer.
- Less than a week after he joined the Dolphins practice squad, linebacker Jake Knott has been promoted to the team’s active roster, the 24-year-old announced on Twitter. Knott previously spent time with the Eagles, where he made 12 appearances last season.
- Even though running back Marcus Lattimore announced his retirement last month, the 49ers continued to keep him on their non-football-injury list. That ended today, as Aaron Wilson tweets that the team has cut the former fourth-rounder.
- The Broncos have signed returner Isaiah Burse to their practice squad, tweets Mike Klis of the Denver Post. To make room, Denver waived guard Mark Asper. Burse, who has returned 29 of the team’s 30 punt returns this season, was waived on Saturday to make room for kicker Brandon McManus.
Earlier updates:
- After being cut last week by the Panthers, veteran linebacker Jason Williams has a new home, catching on with another NFC South team. The Buccaneers announced that they’ve signed Williams, placing fellow linebacker Brandon Magee on injured reserve in order to accommodate the new signing.
- The Packers have signed defensive tackle Bruce Gaston from off the Cardinals‘ practice squad, the team announced today in a press release. To make room for Gaston, the club placed rookie defensive tackle Luther Robinson, who sustained a calf injury, on the injured reserve list.
- The Chargers have parted ways with a pair of players, releasing center Jeff Baca from their 53-man roster and cutting cornerback Kendall James from their practice squad, tweets Eric Williams of ESPN.com.
- Having lost wide receiver Deonte Thompson off their practice squad to the Bills earlier today, the Ravens filled the opening by re-signing tight end Allen Reisner to the unit, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- Wideout Rashad Ross has signed to Washington‘s taxi squad, the club announced today (Twitter link).
Minor Moves: Saturday
Here are Saturday’s minor moves, with the most recent transactions added to the top of the list:
- Washington has placed cornerback Chase Minnifield on injured reserve, reports Mike Jones of the Washington Post (via Twitter). The team promoted defensive back Kenny Okoro to the 53-man roster.
- The Seahawks have promoted wide receiver Chris Matthews from their practice squad to the active roster, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter).
- The Steelers have activated outside linebacker Jarvis Jones off the injured reserve-designated to return, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The team placed cornerback Cortez Allen on injured reserve to make room for Jones.
- The Patriots have activated defensive tackle Sealver Siliga from the injured reserve-designated to return, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Siliga will join the active roster in time for the Sunday Night matchup against the Chargers tomorrow.
Earlier Updates
- The Broncos‘ kicking carousel continues, as Mike Klis of the Denver Post tweets that the team has promoted kicker Brandon McManus from the practice squad. The former undrafted free agent made his NFL debut with Denver earlier this season, connecting on nine of his 13 attempts. To make room, the team waived returner Isaiah Burse.
- The Giants have signed linebacker/defensive end Paul Hazel from their practice squad, tweets ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano. The 24-year-old appeared in 13 games with the Browns last season. To make room on the roster, the team released defensive tackle Dominique Hamilton.
- Washington has promoted linebacker Gabe Miller from their practice squad to the 53-man roster, according to agent Brett Tessler (via Twitter). A fifth-round pick in the 2011 draft, the 27-year-old finally made his NFL debut earlier this season. To make room on the roster, the team cut third-year wideout Aldrick Robinson (via ESPN’s John Keim on Twitter). Robinson signed a one-year deal with Washington following a solid 2013 campaign, but he hasn’t seen the field since Week 5.
- The Ravens have activated cornerback Asa Jackson from the injured reserve, tweets ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley. The former fifth-rounder started four games earlier this season before succumbing to a foot injury. The team also placed undrafted rookie Tramain Jacobs on the injured reserve.
Latest On Demaryius Thomas
Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas is set to hit unrestricted free agency at season’s end, but he indicated yesterday that he was willing to take something of a hometown discount in order to remain in Denver. As Thomas spoke with reporters today, including Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com, he indicated once more that he would prefer to stay with the Broncos. “I think it’s just respect to this town, even to the team,” said Thomas. “…Of course I’d like to keep playing with Peyton [Manning].”
In observing his free agency prospects, Thomas will be forced to quantify the importance of Manning, and estimate how much longer he will be catching passes from the future Hall of Famer. Ideally (for Thomas), Manning will continue playing for several more seasons — the quarterback’s contract runs through 2016, at which point he will be 40 years old. If the Broncos sign Thomas to a five-year deal, for example, he’ll be forced to trust that the club will continue to succeed during the later years of such an extension, when Manning will likely be gone. Denver selected current backup Brock Osweiler in the second round of the 2012 draft, but it’s unclear if he is the team’s answer as the long-term replacement for Manning. Thomas, therefore, would likely want to be assured that a post-Manning plan is in place.
Thomas did not entirely rule out the possibility of joining a new team, and referenced his former teammate Eric Decker‘s decision to sign with the Jets earlier this year. “He seemed happy to me, and I think that’s all that really matters when it comes to a guy making a decision he makes,” Thomas said. “…If I’m here I’ll be happy, if I have to go somewhere else then we can stop and talk about later.”
Though we heard in July that the Broncos had offered an extension to Thomas, reports in October suggested the club didn’t expect to sign him in-season. Of course, Denver will have several high-profile players enter free agency this offseason, including tight end Julius Thomas, whom many expect to be franchise-tagged, and cornerback Chris Harris.
Broncos To Sign McManus To Practice Squad
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here..
- Broncos are re-signing kicker Brandon McManus to the taxi squad, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post (via Twitter). To make room, Denver has released defensive end Gerald Rivers. McManus was brought aboard to start the year after then-starter Matt Prater was hit with a four-game suspension. When Prater was let go, McManus was named the full time kicker, but his run ended a few weeks ago after a handful of missed field goal tries.
Demaryius Thomas Could Take Discount
Demaryius Thomas will be one of this offseason’s top free agents and there’s no doubt he’s in line for big money. Still, the possibility exists that he would take a hometown discount from the Broncos.
“Of course, why not?” Thomas said in an interview with Dan Hellie of the NFL Network (via Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com). “Peyton Manning is one of the best in the game, and I’ve been blessed to have him as my quarterback. I learned so much of him. Denver, of course I gotta take my hats off to them, because they took a chance of drafting me in the first round.”
Of course, how much of a discount the star wide receiver is willing to take remains to be seen and he might have a change of heart when he sees the offers that come his way. The Broncos surely hope they have that leg up over the competition as they’ll have to carve out space for both Thomas and tight end Julius Thomas. Ideally, Denver might look to lock the wide receiver for the long term while applying the franchise tag to the tight end.
In a recent poll, the overwhelming majority of you said that Demaryius Thomas should be Denver’s top extension priority over Julius Thomas and breakout cornerback Chris Harris. While they’re at the top of the list, the Broncos opted to table in-season deals for both Thomases back in October and will resume negotiations after the season. Demaryius Thomas currently has 88 catches, 1,255 yards, and ten touchdowns through 12 games this season. With 145 more yards, he’ll be only the third receiver in NFL history to enjoy a season with 1,450 yards and 10 touchdowns, joining Jerry Rice and Marvin Harrison.
Demaryius Thomas currently occupies the No. 3 spot on Pro Football Rumors’ 2015 free agent power rankings.