NFC North Notes: Thompson, Bears, Lions
Let’s check in on the latest from around the NFC North….
- Packers general manager Ted Thompson remains under contract through the 2016 draft, but that doesn’t mean the club hasn’t started thinking about extending his deal. According to ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky, Green Bay president Mark Murphy confirmed that he considers an extension for Thompson a priority for the team. “I think Ted’s been instrumental obviously in the run we’ve had,” Murphy said, adding that the GM hasn’t conveyed a desire to retire anytime soon.
- Guard Matt Slauson is Jason Fitzgerald’s pick for the Bears‘ most team-friendly contract in his latest piece for Over The Cap. Fitzgerald had a harder time identifying the club’s worst contract, eventually deciding on Tim Jennings, who will be paid $7.5MM in the first year of his four-year deal.
- Plenty of other March signings overshadowed the Lions‘ addition of fullback Jed Collins, but the former Saint may end up being a real difference-maker in Detroit this season, writes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
Poll: Will Finley Return To The Packers?
Tight end Jermichael Finley has been medically cleared by his personal doctor and says that he wants to resume his career in Green Bay. However, he still has some convincing to do with the Packers’ team doctor.
Finley, 27, registered 223 receptions for 2,785 yards and 20 touchdowns in 70 career games for the Packers, but the club is understandably cautious about bringing Finley back given his spinal issues. Still, if Finley can prove himself to be healthy, he could be a tremendous asset for Green Bay. The Packers will have Andrew Quarless, Richard Rodgers, Brandon Bostick, and Ryan Taylor to work with, but it’d be hard for any of those players to replicate some of Finley’s best seasons. Even Packers tight ends coach Jerry Fontenot readily admits that there isn’t a surefire star out of the bunch.
“I think we are pretty wide open at this point,” Fontenot said, writes Rob Reischel of the Journal Sentinel. “I think guys have shown some progress, and those guys warrant a much bigger look. And I think once we get to training camp, we’ll have an idea of a rotation, at least, and giving guys reps just to make sure they’re ready to start the season.”
According to Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com, Finley has visited the Patriots and Giants, and the Steelers, Raiders, and Dolphins have been linked to him as well. Ultimately, do you see Finley making his NFL return with the only team he’s ever known?
Jermichael Finley Hopes To Return To Packers
According to multiple reports, tight end Jermichael Finley has been medically cleared by his personal doctor, but has yet to be cleared by the Packers’ team doctor, who is more cautious when it comes to spinal injuries. Still, Finley is working out, feels good, and would very much like to return to Green Bay, according to Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com. “Tell everybody I’m working as hard as I can to get back to Packer Nation,” Finley said today to Wilde.
Finley, 27, has accumulated 223 receptions for 2,785 yards and 20 touchdowns in 70 career contests for the Packers. However, as a free agent, he has drawn plenty of interest from other clubs. According to Wilde, Finley has visited the Patriots and Giants, and a handful of other teams have been linked to the tight end as well, including the Steelers, Raiders, and Dolphins.
Agent Blake Baratz confirmed in May that his client could file for the collection of a $10MM insurance policy if he opts not continue his playing career. However, Finley seems positive about his workouts and his health, and at this point, it would be a surprise if he didn’t sign another NFL contract at some point.
Earlier today, Rob Reischel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel examined the Packers’ group of tight ends, which includes Andrew Quarless, Richard Rodgers, Brandon Bostick, and Ryan Taylor. While the team appears ready to enter training camp without Finley, tight ends coach Jerry Fontenot acknowledged that the position is perhaps the most unsettled on the roster, so it sounds as if he’d be open to bringing back Finley, assuming he’s given the medical green light.
NFC North Notes: Bell, Raji, Rudolph
After rounding up several items out of the NFC East this morning, we’ll turn our attention to the North this afternoon. Here’s the latest:
- Running back Joique Bell, who received a three-year contract extension from the Lions this offseason, is coming off a knee injury and will report to training camp a few days before the rest of his teammates in order to test out his body, writes Justin Rogers of MLive.com.
- After reportedly turning down a longer and larger contract extension a year ago, B.J. Raji settled for a one-year, $4MM deal with the Packers this offseason. However, if his return to his old nose tackle position is successful, he could parlay that into a significant raise when he hits free agency again in 2015. Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com has the details.
- Kyle Rudolph, an extension candidate for the Vikings, has been studying tape of tight ends Norv Turner has worked with in the past, and is looking for a big year under the team’s new offensive coordinator, as he tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today.
- Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel catches up with former Packers second-rounder Brian Brohm, who is now a backup quarterback for the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Latest On NFL Supplemental Draft
A pair of prospects eligible for this month’s NFL supplemental draft recently held Pro Days, which were attended by a handful of teams, according to various reports. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears from agent Louis Bing that the Cowboys, Texans, Packers, Colts, Lions, Giants, Seahawks, Dolphins, and Bears were in attendance to watch SMU running back Traylon Shead work out. Meanwhile, according to NFLDraftDiamonds.com (via PFT), the Bears, Cardinals, Chiefs, Colts, Eagles, Falcons, 49ers, Patriots, Raiders, Rams, and Texans attended the workout for former Virginia-Lynchburg defensive lineman LaKendrick Ross.
As Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report wrote last month when he previewed 2014’s supplemental draft, it doesn’t project to be too exciting an affair, with Shead, Ross, and New Mexico wideout Chase Clayton among the players eligible. A year ago, none of the six players eligible for the 2013 supplemental draft were selected, and it looks like this year’s crop of players won’t warrant more than late-round picks, if they’re taken at all.
The supplemental draft is intended to accommodate players who missed the deadline for May’s NFL draft or were declared ineligible for another reason. In some cases, players eligible for the supplemental draft land there as a result of being declared academically ineligible in the NCAA, or being kicked off of a team — this helps to explain why some of the more notable players selected in recent supplemental drafts – such as Josh Brent and Josh Gordon – have had off-field concerns.
If a team wants to select a player in the supplemental draft, it must let the league know the round in which it’s willing to select that player. The club which submits the highest round will receive the player and forfeit a 2015 draft pick in that same round. For instance, when the Browns used a second-round supplemental choice on Gordon in 2012, it meant that the team lost its second-round pick for the 2013 draft.
Poll: Jordy Nelson Vs. Randall Cobb
During the past two offseasons, the Packers have witnessed the departure of several of Aaron Rodgers‘ longtime pass-catching weapons. In 2013, Donald Driver retired and Greg Jennings signed a lucrative five-year deal to join the division-rival Vikings, and in 2014, James Jones headed west, inking a three-year pact with the Raiders. Additionally, Jermichael Finley, who is coming off spinal surgery, has reportedly not been cleared by the Packers’ team doctor, making a reunion with the free agent tight end unlikely at this point.
Two more veteran Green Bay receivers are on contracts that expire after the 2014 season, but Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb seem less likely to be playing elsewhere in 2015. The Packers reportedly have interest in locking up both players to contract extensions, ensuring that they’ll remain two of Rodgers’ top targets for years to come.
In Rob Demovsky’s latest mailbag at ESPN.com, he writes that the Packers may be inclined to reach an agreement with Nelson “sooner rather than later,” so that the team can subsequently move on to Cobb. While Demovsky doesn’t cite specific sources in his response to the latest Nelson/Cobb inquiry, he’s plugged into what the Packers’ front office is thinking, and his comments suggest that Nelson may be the club’s first priority.
Nelson established himself as the Packers’ No. 1 receiver in 2013, setting new career highs in receptions (85) and receiving yards (1,314), despite Rodgers missing a chunk of the season. So it makes sense that the team would prioritize a new agreement with him. On the other hand, Cobb, who had 80 receptions of his own in 2012, looked poised to take on a bigger role in the offense last season before he was sidelined with an injury of his own. Cobb doesn’t have the sort of size you’d expect for a prototypical top receiver, but he’s five years younger than Nelson, and his versatility allows the Packers to utilize him in a number of different ways — he has averaged an impressive 15 yards per carry over the last two seasons, for instance.
What do you think? When the Packers approach their wideouts about contract extensions, which player should the team be more intent on keeping? Who’s the No. 1 priority?
NFC Links: Suh, Seahawks, Giants, Packers
Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who identifies as an introvert, spoke with the Oregonian’s John Canzano for a piece about the All-Pro’s image “reconstruction.” Suh has taken criticism for spending his offseason in Portland instead of Detroit, but explained his reasoning: “I’m there when everyone reports. I like being in my own niche and by myself. I have my trainers here. I get 1-on-1 attention. I have every ounce of this campus to myself. My coaches have been here. I’ve probably talked with our head coach more than just about any player on the team. People here don’t care about celebrity. I can walk around and do whatever I want. I’m a normal Portland person.”
Here’s some additional NFC links:
- Several Seahawks veterans, prominent ones, could be entering their final season with the team because of impending salary-cap implications, particularly with Russell Wilson‘s inevitable contract extension soon to hit the books, writes ESPN’s Terry Blount.
- The NFC East position groups are being broken down by Jordan Raanan and Eliot Shorr-Parks on NJ.com. Their latest post examines the division’s tight ends. They agree the Giants have the worst tight end group in the division, and Shorr-Parks goes so far as to say, “They may just have the worst tight ends in the entire NFL, let alone the NFC East.”
- ESPN’s Rob Demovsky discussed the Packers’ secondary depth, including seemingly forgotten man Davon House, who has had an impressive offseason.
- Meanwhile, the Packers’ NFC North rival Bears are still trying to sort out their safety position. “Every spot on the safety depth chart registers as a battle to watch because right now every position — including the starting jobs — is up for grabs,” says ESPN’s Michael C. Wright.
- There’s room on the 49ers roster for 2014 fourth-rounder Bruce Ellington and 2013 fourth-rounder Quinton Patton, says ESPN’s Bill Williamson.
- Falcons reserve receiver/core special teamer Drew Davis will be sidelined for six weeks after foot surgery, reports Orlando Ledbetter in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Davis was placed on the physically unable to perform list, meaning he would miss about three weeks of training camp.
NFC Notes: Saints, Lofton, Eagles, Packers
The staff at ESPN.com examined the key questions for the NFC South heading into 2014, and Mike Triplett writes that despite popular opinion, the Saints don’t have a salary cap emergency on their hands. While New Orleans is constantly up against the cap, it hasn’t stopped them from signing big-ticket free agents; this offseason, they were able to bring in Jairus Byrd at a $9MM AAV. General manager Mickey Loomis’ roster management means that the team can’t afford to miss in the draft, or else the Saint could end up in the Cowboys’ situation — no cap space and bereft of talent.
More from the NFC South:
- It’s been a rough offseason injury-wise for linebackers around the league, and a few NFC LBs (Sean Weatherspoon and Sean Lee among them) have been affected, according to Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today.
- Curtis Lofton comes in at No. 11 on the Times-Picayune’s Larry Holder’s ranking of the top Saints players; in 2014, Lofton led New Orleans in tackles for the second straight season.
- The Eagles will probably retain kicker Alex Henery, writes Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com, and Phildelphia special teams coach Dave Fipp highlights the difficulty in finding a versatile kicker. “If you get a guy who’s a better kicker than him kicking field goals and a better touchback guy, let me know where he is,” said Fipp. “Every team in the league wants him. There’s not a lot of those guys floating around out there. It’s going to be hard to beat him out, but he’s got to get better at a bunch of things, too.”
- 2013 first-rounder Datone Jones didn’t play many snaps last season for the Packers, but he seems insatiable regarding his future plans for success, per Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I won’t be satisfied until I’m the best in the league,” said Jones. “That’s the only way I’d be satisfied. Other than that, I still won’t be satisfied until I retire. No matter what year I have next year or the years to come, I don’t think I’ll ever be satisfied.” Jones will likely be used in sub packages as a pass-rush specialist in 2014.
NFC North Links: Pettigrew, Clausen, Jones
Brandon Pettigrew signed a four-year contract worth $16MM this offseason to stay with the Lions, but will be in line for more of a blocking role than in years past, writes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. When the team drafted tight end Eric Ebron with the 10th overall pick, it was assumed that Ebron would significantly cut into the targets available to other tight ends on the roster.
Here are some more links from around the NFC North:
- New Lion James Ihedigbo knows what it takes to become a Super Bowl-winning team, after being a part of the 2012 Ravens championship squad. He believes the Lions have what it takes to win it all, writes Justin Rogers of MLive.com. “It’s one of those things, you can feel it. With this team, I can feel the makings of a championship-DNA team,” Ihedigbo said. “Are we willing to sacrifice? That’s the question, and I know we are. There are guys in this locker room that are willing to pay the price, whatever it is, to put the work in to be a champion. Yeah, we definitely have that championship DNA.”
- While Jay Cutler is entrenched as the Bears‘ quarterback, the departure of Josh McCown leaves the backup job open in Chicago. Former Notre Dame standout Jimmy Clausen could push for the job, writes Larry Mayer of ChicagoBears.com. “It’s always tough when you get into a new system late and you’re trying to learn the verbiage,” said quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh. “Because he has some years in the league, I don’t think there are any schemes we’re running that he is not familiar with.”
- The Bears know the importance of having a glut of talented cornerbacks, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com. Even though the team has transitioned from a defensive powerhouse under Lovie Smith to an offensive team under Marc Trestman, Chicago knows first-hand how hard it is to cover teams that regularly put two or three elite pass catchers on the field. “You need to have multiple corners,” Bears defensive coordinator Mel Tucker said. “A lot of the defenses we have to play, that we’re required to play nowadays in the National Football League, are sub packages with three corners or corner types in the game.”
- Packers‘ linebacker Brad Jones will need to take on a bigger role in the team’s defense, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Jones took a major step back last year, but is paid to be a contributor. Demovsky writes that he must return at least to his 2012 form for the team’s defense to be successful this season.
- Although he was a talented prospect, one of the knocks on Vikings‘ first-round pick Teddy Bridgewater was that he could not be the “face of a franchise,” but the rookie believes he can do that too, writes Chris Tomasson of TwinCities.com. “Of course, I feel I can be that guy,” Bridgewater said. “With my personality, I just feel that’s something I can definitely do.”
NFC North Notes: Lions, Ebron, Suh, Rodgers
Earlier today, the ESPN.com staff ran down the key questions for every team in the NFC North. When it comes to the Lions, Michael Rothstein says the biggest question is whether the release of cornerback Chris Houston will hurt them in the short- and long-term. The release of Houston, who had four years left on his deal, puts a lot of added pressure on the remaining Detroit cornerbacks. Here’s more out of the NFC North..
- Weeks before the draft, the Lions told Eric Ebron that they would be drafting him at No. 10 if he was there. Detroit followed through on that promise, but the UNC tight end didn’t believe them at the time, writes Josh Katzenstein of The Detroit News.
- Joel Corry of CBSSports.com looks at 30 players who are headed for crossroads in their contracts. Near the top of the list, unsurprisingly, is Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Suh has leverage in discussions with Detroit thanks to his enormous cap number which makes a franchise tag rather untenable. A contract extension for Suh should be the richest veteran deal in NFL history for an interior defensive lineman because he probably isn’t going to accept a decrease from his rookie contract.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap looks at the recent quarterback rankings by Mike Sando of ESPN.com and matches them up with the salaries for each player. NFC North QBs featured include Aaron Rodgers of the Packers, the Bears‘ Jay Cutler, and the Lions’ Matthew Stafford.