Packers Release Brad Jones
The Packers have cleared some cap space for the coming league year, announcing today in a press release that they’ve released inside linebacker Brad Jones. In a statement, GM Ted Thompson thanked Jones for his contributions to the team for the last six seasons, and wished him the best.
Jones, 28, has been a Packer since the club drafted him in the seventh round in 2009. Although he was a starter for Green Bay in 2012 and 2013, his role was significantly reduced in 2014, as he played just 218 defensive snaps. After averaging 80+ tackles per season the previous two years, Jones recorded just 23 last year, to go along with a forced fumble.
Given Jones’ diminished playing time, it made sense for the Packers to move on, since he was set to earn a base salary of $3.25MM in 2015. Although he’ll still count for $1MM in dead money on Green Bay’s cap, the team will clear about $3.7MM in cap room by cutting the Colorado product.
As a vested veteran, Jones is immediately eligible to sign with another team, without having to pass through waivers.
North Notes: Skrine, Lions, Hoyer, Guion
Yesterday, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net reported that he’s hearing the cornerback market could be very player-friendly this offseason, with multiple teams potentially looking to sign more than one free agent corner. Today, Pauline provides some predictions for specific players, tweeting that he’s hearing numbers in the $10MM-per-year range for Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell. I expressed skepticism last month when a report suggested that sources close to Maxwell had thrown out figures in the $12-13MM range, but even a $10MM annual salary would indicate a robust market.
Pauline adds (via Twitter) that he’s also heard a $6.5MM annual figure being “thrown around” for Browns cornerback Buster Skrine. Skrine received the worst Pro Football Focus grade of any of Cleveland’s top four CBs (subscription required), but also played the most defensive snaps of the group, and held his own as a starter when Justin Gilbert wasn’t quite ready to play across from Joe Haden.
As we wait to see whether Skrine actually does that well on his new deal, let’s check in on a few more updates from across the NFL’s North divisions….
- In his preview of the Lions‘ offseason, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap suggests that the team would be best off letting Ndamukong Suh walk, since Detroit has very little spending flexibility with its current “Big Three” structure, and it’s hard to picture the team having long-term success with that approach. Fitzgerald views Nick Fairley as a more prudent investment at defensive tackle.
- Based on his comments to reporters at the combine on Thursday, it appears that Browns GM Ray Farmer is continuing to give free agent quarterback Brian Hoyer the cold shoulder, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. While it may be a negotiating ploy, it doesn’t look like the Browns will be re-signing the veteran signal-caller.
- The legal issues for Packers free agent defensive lineman Letroy Guion are expected to resolved very soon, perhaps within the next few days, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Getting closure on that situation prior to the free agent period would be a win for Guion and for teams with interest in him.
- Bears GM Ryan Pace was fairly noncommittal when discussing potential contract extensions for players like Matt Forte and Alshon Jeffery, but admitted “it’s a slow process,” according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
Packers Cut Brandon Bostick, Kevin Dorsey
TUESDAY, 3:40pm: The Packers officially confirmed Bostick’s release today in a press release, and announced that they’ve waived wide receiver Kevin Dorsey as well. Dorsey, a 2013 seventh-round pick, spent most of his first two season on the injured reserve list.
MONDAY, 1:44pm: The Packers have made a Monday roster move, waiving tight end Brandon Bostick, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Bostick himself first broke the news, publishing a tweet this afternoon that thanked the Green Bay organization and fans and announced that his time there had ended.
Bostick, 25, had been with the Packers since 2012, playing 24 regular-season games over the course of the last two seasons. While his contributions were limited, he caught a touchdown pass in each of the last two years, totaling nine overall receptions in 2013 and 2014. Unfortunately for the Newberry product, his time with the Packers will almost certainly be best remembered for his inability to secure an onside kick in this year’s NFC championship game against the Seahawks, which helped pave the way for a Seattle victory.
Because Bostick has played fewer than four NFL seasons, he’ll have to pass through waivers before becoming a free agent. If he does go unclaimed, he’ll have the opportunity to hit the free agent market early, getting a head start on the players who won’t be able to sign elsewhere until March 10.
Bostick had been set to earn the minimum salary in 2015, so his release won’t create any additional cap room for the Packers.
Randall Cobb Seeking $9MM Per Year?
As I outlined this morning, 2015’s franchise tag period begins today, which means teams will have two weeks to assign franchise or transition tags to potential free agents. One candidate for the tag is Packers wideout Randall Cobb, but Green Bay would presumably much rather work out a longer-term arrangement with Cobb. And according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, early indications are that Cobb will be seeking about $9MM per year on a multiyear contract.
If that is indeed Cobb’s asking price, it should be within reason for the Packers. As Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com observes (via Twitter), Green Bay signed Greg Jennings to a three-year deal worth $9MM annually coming off his rookie contract, and while salaries around the league have risen since then, Jennings also was a little more consistently productive during his first four NFL seasons than Cobb has been in his.
In his first full season as a starter in 2014, Cobb put up No. 1 receiver numbers, totaling 1,287 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns on 91 receptions. However, those numbers likely wouldn’t look quite as good if he weren’t catching balls from 2014 MVP – and arguably the best quarterback in the NFL – Aaron Rodgers. As we saw with Eric Decker a year ago, posting huge numbers in a dynamic offense led by an MVP quarterback doesn’t always lead to a massive payday — Decker’s deal with the Jets averaged just over $7MM annually.
In Cobb’s case, the Packers also have to consider the presence of Jordy Nelson. Nelson is more of a traditional No. 1 wideout than Cobb, and he signed an extension last year for four years and $39MM. As I wrote in December, Green Bay may want to keep Cobb’s deal in line with Nelson’s or slightly lower, so a $9MM annual salary would fit that criteria.
While it doesn’t appear that talks between the Packers and Cobb’s camp have ramped up yet, the two sides will have a couple weeks before the team needs to make a decision on the franchise tag. The salary for the wide receiver tag hasn’t been set, but 2014’s figure was $12.312MM, and 2015’s will be a little higher.
Cornerback Notes: Cromartie, Gilbert, House
Free agent Cardinals cornerback Antonio Cromartie reiterated his interest in returning to the Jets, tweets the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz. On rejoining the Jets, whom he spent the 2010-13 seasons with before they released him last year, Cromartie said, “It would be an easy choice, if the opportunity presented itself,” according to Schwartz. Cromartie racked up 13 interceptions and two Pro Bowl nods during his tenure in New York.
Here’s more on Cromartie and a couple of his fellow NFL corners:
- The 31-year-old Cromartie spent 2014 with the Cardinals, for whom he appeared in all 16 regular-season games, amassed three interceptions and made another Pro Bowl. Cromartie’s defensive coordinator in Arizona was Todd Bowles, whom the Jets hired as their coach last month. Despite being in the midst of a four-year playoff drought and hiring a first-time head coach, Cromartie said, “I don’t think the Jets are rebuilding at all,” according to Schwartz.
- The Browns‘ Justin Gilbert is drawing heat from team owner Jimmy Haslam. “Justin clearly needs to mature,” Haslam told reporters earlier this week, according to the Akron Beacon Journal’s Nate Ulrich. Gilbert, the eighth overall pick in 2014, totaled just 29 tackles and one interception during his rookie year. Despite his less-than-glowing appraisal of Gilbert, Haslam isn’t giving up on the 22-year-old, whom he called a “very gifted athlete.” Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith writes that Gilbert will be in danger of being labeled a bust if he doesn’t mature in his second year.
- Finding a starting job will be the main priority for Packers free agent CB Davon House this offseason, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein. “I don’t like the role just playing special teams, especially when I know I can contribute,” said House. The 25-year-old went on to acknowledge that, although he’d like to stay with the Packers, he doesn’t think he’ll be one of the team’s main priorities this offseason because Randall Cobb and Bryan Bulaga also need new contracts. “I won’t be back until they all get done. It makes no sense for me to get done before them,” he told Silverstein.
NFC Mailbags: Newton, Lions, McCarthy, Giants
We checked out ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus to the NFC…
- If quarterbacks like Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco can average $20MM annually, David Newton believes Cam Newton could certainly be included in that group. Ultimately, the writer believes the Panthers quarterback will receive a contract totaling about $100MM.
- Kicker Matt Prater and defensive back Rashean Mathis want to return to the Lions next season, according to Michael Rothstein. There has been some contact between the organization and the agents for the team’s multiple free agents, but the writer cautions that nothing’s been “locked down.”
- Despite Mike McCarthy‘s interest in the personnel aspect of the league, the Packers head coach does not want to be the team’s general manager, writes Rob Demovsky. The writer says the coach’s recent shuffling of the coaching staff indicates that he’d like to get involved in other areas of coaching.
- Dan Graziano doesn’t see any incentive for the Giants to pursue Ray Rice over any other running back.
- Considering the linebacker’s age and injury history, John Keim can’t envision Washington investing too much money in Brian Orakpo. Meanwhile, the writer could see the team bringing back quarterback Colt McCoy, tight end Niles Paul, and “perhaps” running back Roy Helu and wideout Leonard Hankerson. Santana Moss is among the players Keim would be surprised to see return.
Packers Announce Coaching Changes
12:05pm: McCarthy confirmed at his press conference that Clements will call the offensive plays for the Packers in 2015, tweets Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
11:58am: The Packers have confirmed a handful of previously reported coaching changes, announcing today in a press release that the team has made changes on both sides of the ball, and named a pair of new special teams assistants as well. The new titles on Mike McCarthy‘s staff are as follows:
- Tom Clements: Associate head coach/offense
- Edgar Bennett: Offensive coordinator
- Alex Van Pelt: Quarterbacks and wide receivers coach
- Mike Solari: Assistant offensive line coach
- Jerry Montgomery: Defensive front assistant
- Ron Zook: Special teams coordinator
- Jason Simmons: Assistant special teams coach
While the press release doesn’t mention anything about the Packers’ offensive play calls, McCarthy is expected to hand over the reins on play-calling to Clements as part of his promotion. Clements had previously been Green Bay’s offensive coordinator, while McCarthy called the plays, and now it appears that Bennett will be the OC while Clements calls plays.
McCarthy will speak to local reporters at the top of the hour to confirm the changes.
NFC North Notes: Marshall, Peterson, Favre
Brandon Marshall wants to return to the Bears but he hasn’t received any assurances he will next season, Patrick Finley of Chicago Sun-Times writes. “I definitely love Chicago, but I definitely understand it’s a business on both ends,” Marshall said. “For me, I wanna win. The organization wants to win. (Owner Virginia) McCaskey wants to win. So we’re definitely aligned there. But there’s a business side on both ends, and I get that.” The wide receiver is coming off of an injury-plagued season and is scheduled to make $7.5MM in 2015, leading some to believe that the new regime might look to cut ties with him. More from the NFC North..
- Vikings president Mark Wilf expressed support for the idea of embattled running back Adrian Peterson returning to the team, as Ben Goessling of ESPN.com writes. “Adrian’s done a lot of good in this community,” Wilf said. “He’s done a lot for us on the football field, as well. Of course, he’s a Minnesota Viking, and we’d love to have him back. And of course, a lot depends on the NFL and steps he’s making in his own personal journey. That’s where we’re at with it.“
- The Vikings have decisions to make on the fifth-year options of left tackle Matt Kalil and safety Harrison Smith and Brian Hall of FOX Sports North looked at the pros and cons.
- Former Packers GM Ron Wolf spoke with SiriusXM NFL Radio (via Twitter) on the 23rd anniversary of Green Bay trading their first-round choice to the Falcons for Brett Favre. “If it came to it, I would have given a number one up to get Favre to Green Bay. I was ready to pull the trigger no matter what,” Wolf said.
Extra Points: D. Thomas, Mariota, Boyd
The Broncos are set to wield the franchise tag, if necessary, to keep Demaryius Thomas, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Rapoport adds that there have been no talks between the team and Thomas’ camp for some time. The tag would cost Denver about $13MM and would limit the team’s options when it comes to tight end Julius Thomas. Here’s tonight’s look around the NFL…
- Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, a candidate to be picked first overall in April, has signed with Rep 1 Sports, and will be represented by agents Ryan Tollner, Bruce Tollner, and Chase Callahan, reports Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (via Twitter). The agency also represented QB Blake Bortles in last year’s draft.
- Tajh Boyd, a former Jets sixth-round pick, had a good workout for the Lions today, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). Nonetheless, Birkett says no deal is imminent between the team and the young quarterback.
- By the time the first round of this year’s NFL draft ends, a running back or two might be among the selections, which clashes with recent history. Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon and Georgia’s Todd Gurley could lead the draft’s running back rebirth, writes Jim Corbett of USA Today Sports.
- Oklahoma’s co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery is heading to to the Packers, according to Jason Kersey of The Oklahoman. There’s no sign of any defensive coaches leaving the Packers, so it seems that Montgomery will likely be installed in a new defensive position, according to Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette (via Twitter). His position will effectively be defense quality control, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
- At OverTheCap.com, Bryce Johnston has introduced a new concept called expected contract value to attempt to more accurately assess the true value of a player’s contract.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Extra Points: Bradford, Mariota, Manning
Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) hears from executives that some quarterback-needy teams in position to potentially have a shot at drafting Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston would actually prefer to roll the dice on former No. 1 overall pick Sam Bradford, if the Rams decide to release him. Of course, that may end up being a moot point, since St. Louis has expressed interest in bringing back Bradford, assuming he’s willing to restructure his contract. More from around the NFL..
- Within that same video, Cole suggests that Ravens linebacker Pernell McPhee is likely to hit the open market next month, since the club views him as a complementary player rather than a core piece, and will want to use its available cap room elsewhere.
- Peyton Manning is back home in New Orleans and training with the intent to play the 2015 NFL season, a source close to the quarterback told Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune. Manning wants to talk with Broncos executive vice president and general manager John Elway before announcing his intentions for the 2015 season and hopes to chat with him in the next couple of days. Manning, 39 in March, is the NFL’s oldest starting quarterback.
- Mike Preston of The Baltimore Sun says the Ravens should pick a top cornerback in the draft. The top four cornerbacks right now appear to be Michigan State’s Trae Waynes, Wake Forest’s Kevin Johnson, Washington’s Marcus Peters, and LSU’s Jason Collins.
- While it appears that the previously reported changes to the Packers‘ coaching staff will indeed happen, the team has yet to formally finalize those moves, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.
- The Dolphins may not be in talks yet with quarterback Ryan Tannehill on a long-term contract extension, but one could certainly be in the cards. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald explored what a deal for the signal-caller might look like.
- The Raiders announced that they have hired Rod Woodson as an assistant defensive backs coach, according to Bill Williamson of ESPN.com (on Twitter). That means that defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson is the lone holdover from the 2014 staff.