Super Bowl Free Agent Performances
In stunning fashion, the Seattle Seahawks pummeled Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII Sunday night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with Seattle linebacker Malcolm Smith taking home MVP honors.
Among the most notable free agents playing in tonight’s game was Broncos receiver Eric Decker, who barely registered on the stat sheet with one reception for six yards. He was targeted five times.
Here’s a list of the rest of the free agents from Super Bowl XLVIII:
Denver Broncos
- Knowshon Moreno, RB: five carries, 17 yards, one fumble
- Andre Caldwell, WR: active, zero targets
- Winston Justice, OL: active
- Zane Beadles, OL: active
- Dan Koppen, OL: placed on injured reserve
- Steve Vallos, OL: active
- Robert Ayers, DE: one tackle
- Jeremy Mincey, DE: four tackles
- Shaun Phillips, LB: four tackles, one solo
- Stewart Bradley, LB: placed on injured reserve
- Paris Lenon, LB: active, no stats accumulated
- Wesley Woodyard, LB: active, no stats accumulated
- Quentin Jammer, CB: inactive
- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB: active, no stats accumulated
- Mike Adams, S: six tackles, six solo
- Michael Huff, S: active, no stats accumulated
Seattle Seahawks
- Tarvaris Jackson, QB: 0/1 passing
- Michael Robinson, FB: one reception, seven yards, one target
- Arceto Clark, WR: practice squad
- Golden Tate, WR: three receptions, 17 yards, four targets
- Bryan Walters, WR: inactive
- Kellen Davis, TE: inactive
- Anthony McCoy, TE: placed on injured reserve
- Breno Giacomini, OL: active
- Paul McQuistan, OL: active
- Michael Bennett, DE: two tackles, one solo
- Tony McDaniel, DT: one tackle, one solo
- Clinton McDonald, DT: five tackles, three solo, one QB hit, one fumble recovered
- O’Brien Schofield, LB: one tackle, one solo, one tackle for loss
- Chris Maragos, S: active, no stats accumulated
- Steven Hauschka, K: 2/2 field goals (31 and 33 yards), 5/5 extra points
Extra Points: Hoyer, Harbaugh, Foles, Miller
Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer speculates that the Texans might be interested in Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer. New Texans coach Bill O’Brien and Hoyer worked together with the Patriots, where O’Brien was the offensive coordinator. If the Browns select a quarterback with the fourth overall pick, Hoyer could become expendable. If the Texans opt to not to draft a quarterback with the first overall pick, they could use a player like Hoyer to stabilize the quarterback position, presuming they release Matt Schaub.
A few more pre-Super Bowl notes:
- The 49ers and coach Jim Harbaugh may have different ideas regarding Harbaugh’s value, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. The 49ers might want Harbaugh, who is entering the fourth year of five-year contract, to take slightly less guaranteed money and more incentive-based pay.
- While the Eagles cannot extend quarterback Nick Foles until after the 2014 season (as per the CBA), they need to take a page from the Seahawks’ playbook and try to contend while their signal-caller is under a low-paying contract, writes Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com.
- Broncos linebacker Von Miller will get to keep the more than $1MM that the Broncos were attempting to recoup as part of his six-game suspension, tweets ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk further explains that “partial bonus forfeiture is automatic,” so the Broncos were not actively trying to reclaim money.
- Manish Mehta notes that an impressive Super Bowl performance can often lead to a big payday for impending free agents, and cites Eric Decker, Knowshon Moreno, and Golden Tate as players with a lot of money at stake in tonight’s game.
Decker Will Test Free Agency
Broncos receiver Eric Decker will hit the free agent market, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Broncos view the 26-year-old receiver as a number two wideout, rather than a true number one option. Rapoport also indicates that the Broncos would like Decker to give them a chance to match the best offer he receives, but there are no guarantees that will happen (Twitter link).
The Broncos have many looming contract concerns, as running back Knowshon Moreno and guard Zane Beadles join Decker as free agents on offense, and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and defensive end Shaun Phillips are free agents on the defensive side. Perhaps most importantly, star receiver Demaryius Thomas will be a free agent following the 2014 season. With an offense lead by Peyton Manning and complemented by Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas, and Wes Welker, perhaps the Broncos feel they can lose Decker and still remain an elite offensive unit.
Though the Broncos may view Decker as a secondary receiver, other teams may view him as a number one option, as Brian McIntyre notes on Twitter. Decker’s numbers certainly support this notion, at least with Manning as his quarterback. Over the past two seasons, Decker has averaged 86 receptions for 1,176 yards and 12 touchdowns, and he rated fourth in DYAR for the 2013 season.
The receiver market looks to be relatively barren, and Decker will be the clear top choice available, ahead of players like Julian Edelman, Hakeem Nicks, and Anquan Boldin. With this leverage, Decker will look to match or exceed recent contracts handed out to similar receivers. Dwayne Bowe and Mike Wallace, each older than Decker, received $20MM and $27MM guaranteed, respectively, on five-year deals.
Poll: Which Team Will Win The Super Bowl?
After two weeks of buildup and hype, we’ve arrived at Super Bowl weekend, with Sunday’s game now just 48 hours away. Much has been made of the league’s No. 1 offense squaring off against its No. 1 defense, and on Sunday we’ll finally see which side comes out on top.
Ever since Denver dispatched the Patriots in the AFC Championship and Seattle survived the NFC game against the Niners, Peyton Manning and the Broncos have been the Super Bowl favorites. However, Denver’s predicted margin of victory is slim, and fans seem fairly split on which club will actually win. ESPN.com released its reporters’ individual predictions for Super Bowl XLVIII today, and of the 48 writers polled, 25 picked the Seahawks, while 23 went with the Broncos.
So today’s PFR poll question is fairly simple: Which team do you expect to win this year’s Super Bowl? Feel free to weigh in with your specific score predictions in the comments section.
Which team will win Super Bowl XLVIII?
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Seattle Seahawks 54% (658)
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Denver Broncos 46% (553)
Total votes: 1,211
AFC Notes: MJD, Harvin, Sanchez, Texans
The Jaguars are allowing Maurice Jones-Drew to hit the open market this offseason and the tailback says he has no problem with that, writes Ryan O’Hallaran of the Florida Times-Union.
“I’m fine with it,” Jones-Drew said. “I kind of figured that because we didn’t talk throughout the year. That’s part of the business. There’s no hard feelings. I gave everything I could to the organization. I appreciate them giving me that opportunity. Wherever I go next year, they’ll have a person ready to play at a high level.”
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Before Percy Harvin was sent to the Seahawks by the Vikings a year ago, there was some talk of a possible trade to the Patriots, the receiver confirmed to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “It flew around for a little bit, but I never really dug into it to see how much interest there was,” Harvin said. “I was working out and waiting for my agent to do all that work.”
- Should the Jets roll on with Mark Sanchez under center or find themselves a new quarterback? Many ex-Jets were asked that question along radio row this week and the consensus seems to be that they should look elsewhere, writes ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini. Former Jets linebacker Bart Scott thinks the Jets should go make a run at Matt Schaub, who could be cut loose by the Texans.
- Speaking of Schaub, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle continues to report that the Texans intend to take a quarterback with the first overall pick in this year’s draft (Twitter link).
- One of John Elway‘s best moves may have come years after he retired when he traded Tim Tebow and made way for Peyton Manning, writes Nancy Armour of USA Today. It’s safe to say things worked out pretty well for the Broncos as Manning will lead them in Sunday’s Super Bowl while Tebow is out of professional football.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
AFC Notes: Welker, Bailey, Pats, Jaguars
Already this week, Peyton Manning and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie have addressed the possibility of retiring after the Super Bowl if the Broncos win. Wide receiver Wes Welker was the latest to be asked about that scenario, but the former Patriot quickly shot down the idea.
“Of course it would be a good way to end it, but I am still having fun,” Welker said, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “I am still enjoying the game. I feel good, and as long as I am out there having fun, I will continue to play.”
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Champ Bailey told reporters today, including Lindsay Jones of USA Today (Twitter link), that cornerbacks his age either “retire, stink it up or move to safety.” Bailey is hoping he doesn’t end up doing any of those things in 2014.
- While the Patriots could have a couple candidates for the franchise tag this offseason in Julian Edelman and Aqib Talib, the team would have to make significant moves to accommodate an eight-figure, one-year salary for either player, says Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com.
- Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell spoke to Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union about what he took away from scouting last week’s Senior Bowl. According to Caldwell, defensive back and offensive line were areas of strength at the event.
- The Jaguars figure to target pass-rushers in the draft, and Virginia’s Brett Urban could be an option, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com.
- With center Alex Mack and safety T.J. Ward facing free agency this offseason, the Browns will have to hope they don’t follow Mike Adams’ lead, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. As McManamon notes, Adams won 28 games in five years with the Browns, then signed as a free agent in Denver, where he’s won that many games in just two seasons.
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald examines the free agent decisions facing new Dolphins GM Dennis Hickey in his first couple months on the job.
Broncos Notes: Phillips, Manning, Bailey
The Super Bowl is an emotional time, but no matter what, there will be a few key players leaving the Broncos (and Seahawks) after Sunday. Denver could be starting as many as nine players in the Super Bowl who are due to become free agents after the season, with a number of players who provide depth also hitting the market, writes Bill Barnwell of Grantland.com. The injured Chris Harris, starting safety Duke Ihenacho, and return man Trindon Holliday are each restricted free agents and therefore likely to return, but many others – like veteran reclamation project Shaun Phillips – could be on their way out. Here’s more out of the AFC West..
- Think it’s just Broncos fans that love Peyton Manning? How about the teammates that will see huge financial windfalls thanks to playing alongside him. NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal writes that wide receiver Eric Decker, tight end Julius Thomas, and others will benefit in future deals from lining up in Manning’s offense.
- If Champ Bailey wants to continue his legendary career, he’ll have to do so at a much lower salary next season, writes Joel Corry for CBSSports.com. Bailey is slated to make $10MM next season and have a $10MM salary cap number, figures that are much to high for what the 34-year-old cornerback is at this stage of his career.
- Earlier today, we learned that the Broncos don’t expect to re-sign Knowshon Moreno.
AFC Rumors: Manning, Ravens, Sheets, Gaine
Earlier this week, Peyton Manning attempted to dispel any rumors or speculation that he’d retire if the Broncos win the Super Bowl, telling reporters that he intended to play beyond this season. Not everyone is buying that though, according to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report, who writes that many people around the NFL think Manning will call it a career after this game, especially if he wins. “The belief around football,” according to Freeman, is that Peyton doesn’t want to announce such a decision now because it would be a distraction heading into Sunday.
As we wait to see whether Freeman is right, or whether Manning’s career will continue into 2014, let’s round up a few other Wednesday notes from around the AFC….
- The Ravens tried out a pair of free agents this week, auditioning linebacker Craig Wilkins and defensive end Cordarro Law, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Law spent last season with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders, recording 14 sackes, while Wilkins was cut in the summer by the Seahawks after spending training camp with the team.
- Wilson also reports (via Twitter) that running back Kory Sheets worked out for the Raiders this week. The Regina Leader-Post first had the details on the 2013 CFL Grey Cup MVP’s audition with Oakland.
- Eric Decker will be a free agent this winter, and could interest the Jets as New York pursues receiving help. However, Decker said on Media Day in Newark that he hadn’t thought about the possibility of playing with the local team, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post.
- The Dolphins announced today that they’ve mutually parted ways with assistant GM Brian Gaine (Twitter link). Gaine had been a finalist to become Miami’s new GM, so when the team hired Dennis Hickey instead, Gaine’s departure was considered somewhat inevitable.
- Craig Kelley and Kevin Bowen of Colts.com look ahead to the Colts‘ offseason, with Kelley answering fans’ questions in a two-part mailbag, while Bowen focuses on question marks surrounding the club’s receivers, tight ends, and offensive line.
Broncos Don’t Expect To Re-Sign Moreno
A number of key Broncos contributors will be eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason, and Knowshon Moreno is one player the team doesn’t expect to re-sign, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
Moreno, 27, enjoyed a career year in 2013, establishing new personal bests in rushing yards (1038) and rushing touchdowns (10), among other categories. The former 12th overall pick initially had a team option on his contract for 2014, but it was voided, which will give him the opportunity to hit the open market a year early.
According to OverTheCap.com, the Broncos already have more than $122MM in salary commitments on their books for the 2014 season. While Denver can carry over some unused cap space and can clear additional room by shedding a handful of contracts, it will still be tricky for the club to create the flexibility to bring back all its notable free-agents-to-be. Eric Decker, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and Zane Beadles are among the other Denver starters eligible for unrestricted free agency.
Assuming the Broncos don’t draft or sign another starting running back to replace Moreno, Montee Ball is the odds-on favorite to assume a larger role in the offense in 2014.
Rodgers-Cromartie “Definitely Not Retiring”
WEDNESDAY, 9:44am: Rodgers-Cromartie completed a 180-degree turn on Monday’s comments today, telling Mike Klis of the Denver Post that he’s “definitely not retiring.” According to DRC, he simply meant that he has to start thinking about his post-playing career, since there are no guarantees.
TUESDAY, 10:05am: At Tuesday’s Media Day, Rodgers-Cromartie told reporters, including Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com (Twitter links) that his retirement talk was misunderstood, adding that if he receives a long-term contract offer this offseason, he’ll take it.
MONDAY, 12:54pm: It doesn’t sound like Peyton Manning has any plans to retire whether or not the Broncos win this weekend’s Super Bowl, but the outcome of the game could affect one of his teammates’ futures. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie told reporters today that he may retire if Denver beats Seattle on Sunday. “I set a goal of five years. I’ve played six,” Rodgers-Cromartie said, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
While Mike Garafalo of FOX Sports 1 tweets that Rodgers-Cromartie sounded almost positive about his intentions to retire, and Lindsay Jones of USA Today (Twitter link) stressed that the Broncos cornerback was definitely serious, the 28-year-old added that his plans aren’t “set in stone” yet, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports 1 (Twitter link).
As Rodgers-Cromartie himself noted, he has only played six NFL seasons, so he’ll be hitting unrestricted free agency this winter as a 27-year-old. Coming off a season in which he started 13 games for the AFC champions, he should draw plenty of interest on the open market, so we’ll have to wait and see if he sticks to his retirement plan when teams start calling in March.