Ryan Pickett Seeking Contract
Defensive tackle Ryan Pickett will turn 35 this fall, and has 13 NFL seasons under his belt, but he hopes to catch on with a team and return for a 14th year, as he tells Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. While Pickett’s preference would be to re-sign with the Packers, for whom he started every game in 2013, the free agent says he’s open to other possibilities and is 100% certain he’ll continue his playing career.
“I can still play ball. Just turn on the tape,” Pickett said. “I can do my job. And I do it well. I like to prove people wrong. I feel great. I don’t feel old.”
The number one goal for the former first-round pick is to win another Super Bowl, so he’d like to join a contending team. However, Pickett acknowledges that the Packers have gone in a different direction on the defensive line this offseason, getting younger and more athletic, even as head coach Mike McCarthy keeps the door open for a possible reunion. The team also brought back B.J. Raji to occupy the nose tackle position that Pickett played last season.
At the moment, a handful of teams – including the Packers – have open roster spots, though clubs with full 90-man rosters could consider making an offer to Pickett as well. The Ohio State product expects to have landed somewhere in time for training camp, as he tells Dunne. Following the 2014 season, Pickett will contemplate retirement, but for now it sounds like he’s gearing up to be healthier and more productive in ’14 than he was in ’13.
NFC North Links: Vereen, Weems, Perry, Tretter
In his latest chat, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes that Bears fourth-rounder Brock Vereen is “absolutely in the running” to be the starter at free safety. Chicago secondary coach Jon Hoke was apparently impressed with the rookie’s performance during OTAs and minicamp, and will stage a training camp battle between Vereen and Chris Conte, who struggled in 2013, specifically in stopping the run. The entire Q&A, which touches on Shea McClellin‘s position switch and the signing of Adrian Wilson, is worth a read. Here’s more from the NFC North.
- The Bears have several players vying to replace Devin Hester as the team’s primary return man, including offseason additions Micheal Spurlock and Armanti Edwards, but veteran Eric Weems might have the best chance to take up the mantle, and he admits he wants the job. “Most definitely I’ve missed doing it,” Weems told Larry Mayer of ChicagoBears.com. “It’s still in the blood. I love doing it. That’s what I was in Atlanta doing. That’s what I made the Pro Bowl doing. There’s no question in my mind that I love doing it.”
- As part of his series looking at Packers who will need to show improvement in 2014, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com profiles 2012 first-round pick Nick Perry, who, due to injuries, has only played in 17 games over his first two seasons. The 24-year-old will be playing the “Elephant” role in Green Bay’s 3-4 defense this season, meaning he will roam from linebacker to defensive end, and maybe even see snaps at tackle.
- In a separate piece, Demovsky offers an early Packers depth chart, with Micah Hyde, who played mostly slot corner in 2013, being listed ahead of first-round pick Ha Ha Clinton-Dix at free safety.
- Packers center J.C. Tretter, a fourth-round pick last year, has never played a snap in the NFL, but following the departure of Evan Dietrich-Smith, he might be the most important player on Green Bay’s offensive line, writes Rob Reischel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
NFC Links: Giants, Lions, Packers
Eli Manning was the most overpaid NFL player during the 2013 season, at least according to Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus (ESPN Insider subscription required). The Giants’ 57.5 accuracy percentage was the second-worst in the league (behind the Raiders‘ Matt McGloin), and his 27 interceptions were the most by a quarterback in nearly ten years. The writer utilized the “Jahnke Valuation Model” – a formula that measures a player’s potential salary based on production – and came to the conclusion that Manning deserved about $5.4MM. That’s a far cry from his 2013 cap hit of $20.8MM.
Second on the list also came from the NFC, albeit on the defensive side of the ball. Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis earned this honor, even though he compiled 116 tackles last season. Jahnke points to the player’s 13 missed tackles and estimates he should have earned about $1.3MM – a more than $11MM difference from his $12.4MM cap hit.
Three other NFC players – Falcons wideout Roddy White, Buccaneers safety Dashon Goldson and Vikings running back Adrian Peterson – made this list. For the AFC, Jets linebacker David Harris led the way, followed by Raiders quarterback Matt Schaub, Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph, Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor and Bills defensive end Mario Williams.
Let’s see what else is going on around the NFC…
- Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr. and Bears defensive tackle Ego Ferguson were previously represented by the Morgan Advisory Group’s Ryan Morgan & Zeke Sandhu. However, as Sports Business Journal’s Liz Mullen points out (via Twitter), the two players are now unaffiliated with MAG and are only represented by Sandhu.
- History suggests that Lions head coach Jim Caldwell will only carry two quarterbacks, writes Justin Rogers of MLive.com. In his ten seasons with the Colts, Caldwell carried a trio of quarterbacks four times, including the 2011 season when he held on to an injured Peyton Manning. The competition is likely between veterans Dan Orlovsky and Kellen Moore, as well as rookie James Franklin. As Rogers notes, Franklin could stick around on the practice squad.
- 12 linebackers were taken ahead of Packers rookie Carl Bradford, and Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel writes that the player won’t forget about those taken in front of him. “I keep track of it, man,” Bradford said. “And I use that as motivation…We’ll see where I land at the end of all this.”
Extra Points: Greco, Jolly, Chargers, Jackson
In his latest mailbag, ESPN.com’s John Clayton begins by examining the prolific turnover at the cornerback position this offseason. Teams are seemingly following the Seahawks’ model in the secondary, searching for taller defensive backs who can shut down the league’s No. 1 receivers, who themselves are growing eve- larger in stature. Clayton points to the Chiefs, Patriots, and Broncos as teams who have prioritized length at corner by releasing the 5’10” Brandon Flowers, signing Brandon Browner, and adding Aqib Talib, respectively.
More assorted notes from the NFL:
- John Greco, who signed a four-year extension with the Browns last summer, is slated to be Cleveland’s starting right guard, but he knows that competition is inevitable, writes George M. Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal. “There’s always someone at your footsteps banging on the door so you know at any time you can be easily replaced if there’s a mistake,” said Greco. “It just makes you that much more focused to work harder to keep your spot.” The 29-year-old’s contract makes it easy for the Browns release him if he does falter, as it contains no more guaranteed money.
- We learned earlier today that Packers defensive lineman Johnny Jolly has been medically cleared, but as Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes, Jolly must now play the waiting game, hoping that a team will show interest in him. Green Bay, specifically, already re-signed B.J. Raji, and are counting on pass-rush help from Datone Jones, Josh Boyd, and third-rounder Khyri Thorton, so they might not need any help up front.
- The Chargers’ defense was among the league’s worst units in 2013; they ranked dead last in terms of defensive DVOA (per Football Outsiders). As such, San Diego defensive coordinator John Pagano is only penciling in three definite starters — Eric Weddle, Donald Butler, and Corey Liuget, while the rest of the spots are up for grabs, writes Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com. Sean Lissemore will be the nominal starter at nose tackle, adds Pagano, but the Chargers will only be in their base defense 30-35% of snaps.
- Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com profiles Broncos defensive lineman Malik Jackson, a fifth-round pick in 2012 who performed very well last season in his first real opportunity at playing time.
Sunday Roundup: Thomas, Davis, Momah
It’s been a surprisingly exciting morning in the NFL, with the false report from the Dallas Police Department that Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib was arrested early this morning dominating the Twitterverse. Now that things have quieted down and Talib has been absolved–his brother, Yaqub, was the person taken into custody–let’s have a look at some links from around the league.
- Mike Kiszla of The Denver Post writes that the Broncos cannot afford to overpay star wideout Demaryius Thomas. He adds that, although Thomas is set to become a free agent after this season, the franchise tag is a legitimate option if an extension cannot be worked out (check out our Luke Adams’ piece on what a deal for Thomas might look like). Kiszla believes that giving Thomas more than $30MM in easily-obtained guarantees is too much for a receiver who greatly benefits from being in the same huddle as Peyton Manning.
- The Panthers exercised linebacker Thomas Davis‘ 2014 and 2015 options in February after his stellar 2013 campaign, but if they had not done so, Davis would have retired, according to Jonathan Jones of The Charlotte Observer. Davis said, “If I’m going to play football and represent an organization, it’s going to be with the team that stuck beside me and never gave up on me.“
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Free agent defensive tackle Johnny Jolly, who played for the Packers last season, has gained medical clearance after undergoing neck surgery in January, writes Aaron Wilson of The National Football Post. As we learned several weeks ago, the Packers remain open to Jolly’s return.
- The Titans‘ top three wide receivers–Nate Washington, Kendall Wright, and Justin Hunter–are set. But as Lauren Moore of The Tennessean writes, second-year man Michael Preston, who has been dubbed a “jack-of-all-trades” by wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson, hopes to seize the fourth receiver role from the likes of veteran free agent acquisitions Brian Robiskie, Derek Hagan, and Dorin Dickerson, as well as a few 2013 and 2014 undrafted free agents.
- Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that, although the Browns would love to extend tight end Jordan Cameron, Cameron’s agent, Tom Condon, will drive a hard bargain. She adds that wide receiver Josh Gordon must have some “compelling arguments” given that there has yet to be an announcement regarding his suspension (although an appeal hearing has not been set).
- Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union writes that the Jaguars will need to grab a standout pass rusher in the 2015 draft, and he lists some potential candidates for Jags fans to keep an eye on this season.
- Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com writes that Ifeanyi Momah, the physically gifted wide receiver whom the Eagles released last season during final cutdowns, is back with Philadelphia this year and stands a real chance at making the roster.
NFC North Links: Cutler, Fales, Lions, House
Bears‘ quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh is impressed with Jay Cutler going into year two in head coach Marc Trestman’s offense, writes Chris Boden of CSNChicago.com. “I’ve seen incredible progress,” said Cavanaugh. “He’s taken every suggestion we’ve given and he’s embraced it. From how he holds the ball to how he lines up in the`Gun’ pre-snap to how he drops back, to his throwing base to his follow-through. Every little fundamental we’ve talked to him about, he’s embraced, and it’s like night & day.”
Here are some other notes from around the NFC North:
- Although the Bears signed veterans Jimmy Clausen and Jordan Palmer to compete to be Cutler’s backup, the team still is invested in rookie sixth-round pick David Fales, writes Boden. “He had a real good understanding of defenses, coverages, where to go with the ball, based on what the coverage was. He has a good understanding of protections — he’s figuring out ours right now,” said Cavanaugh. “But I thought just a real good core understanding of offense and defense. If you have that, you can learn the language and be productive.”
- With some time before training camp opens, the Lions still have a number of questions that need to be answered, writes Lindsay Selengowski of DetroitLions.com. Selengowski examines how an injury to rookie receiver T.J. Jones will effect the team’s depth chart, and which second-year players are looking to contribute in 2014.
- The Lions have an ongoing kicking battle between Nate Freese and Giorgio Tavecchio for a roster spot, writes Josh Katzenstein of DetroitNews.com. Freese, a seventh-round pick this year, has the slight edge over Tavecchio at the moment, although both struggled so far.
- Packers‘ cornerback Davon House has found himself in a tough depth chart situation, behind starters Sam Shields, Tramon Williams, and Casey Hayward, writes Weston Hodkiewicz of PackersNews.com. House, who played 16 games last year for the first time in his career, was relegated mostly to special teams towards the end of last year, but played well in the playoffs against the 49ers after Shields left the game with an injury.
NFL Teams With Open Roster Spots
For many teams around the NFL, the 90 players on the roster when last week’s minicamps ended are the same 90 players the club hopes to carry into training camp next month. We should expect to see some minor roster shuffling over the next few weeks, but for the most part, teams have a pretty good idea of which players will be participating in camp and battling for spots on the regular-season roster a few weeks from now.
Still, not all 32 teams around the league have full 90-man rosters at this point. In a couple instances, recent unanticipated retirements have created roster openings, whereas other clubs may simply be keeping their options open and weighing multiple possibilities as training camp nears. In any case, by our count, there are seven NFL teams that currently have open slots on their 90-man rosters. Here’s the breakdown:
- Atlanta Falcons (2): Since maxing out the 90-man roster with draft picks and rookie free agents, the Falcons have made three cuts and moved Sean Weatherspoon to injured reserve following his season-ending Achilles injury. During that same span, they’ve only signed two players, so there should be two open spots on the roster at the moment.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2): The Bucs signed a pair of tryout players to contracts last week, adding David Gettis and Ronald Talley, but also cut four players. Over the weekend, Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com explored how the team might fill the two openings on its roster.
- Cincinnati Bengals (1): Running back Jeff Scott was waived by the Bengals last week, and the club has yet to sign a replacement.
- Cleveland Browns (1): Like the Bengals, the Browns made a cut a week ago (Earl Bennett) and haven’t yet filled his spot on the roster.
- Denver Broncos (1): Denver hasn’t made a roster addition since waiving Ramon Harewood last month, so the team should have one spot available.
- Green Bay Packers (1): A neck injury forced Johnathan Franklin into early retirement and forced the Packers to waive him with an injured player designation, creating an empty spot on the 90-man roster.
- San Francisco 49ers (1): Eric Wright‘s retirement announcement created an opening on the Niners’ roster last Tuesday.
NFC North Links: Finley, Packers, Vikes, Lions
It’s been nearly a month since tight end Jermichael Finley received medical clearance from his personal doctor, Joseph Maroon, who performed Finley’s spinal surgery and also acts as the team doctor for the Steelers. However, just because Finley was cleared by Dr. Maroon, it doesn’t mean that every NFL team is comfortable with the free agent’s health. As Gil Brandt of NFL.com notes (via Twitter), Finley still hasn’t been cleared by Packers doctors, so until that happens, a new deal for the tight end in Green Bay is unlikely.
Here’s more from around the NFC North:
- Don Barclay turned into a full-time starter on the Packers‘ offensive line last season, but it appears he could head into his contract year in 2014 as a reserve, as Weston Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette details. According to head coach Mike McCarthy, Barclay has “earned the opportunity to compete for a starting position, though the West Virginia alum won’t be upset if he starts the season as the club’s sixth man on the line. Barclay will be eligible for restricted free agency at season’s end.
- Cordarrelle Patterson, seventh-rounder Jabari Price, and the Vikings‘ secondary are topics of discussion in a Monday mailbag from Master Tesfatsion of the Star Tribune.
- In his latest series of pieces, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press will focus on five jobs on the Lions‘ roster that figure to be up for grabs in training camp this summer. The series got underway today with a look at kicker, where seventh-round pick Nate Freese is going up against lefty Giorgio Tavecchio.
Extra Points: OTAs, Packers, Titans, Brady
Minicamps are finished. The 2014 NFL season awaits.
Players have left their respective clubs until the opening of training camp, and as ESPN.com’s John Clayton notes, coaches now will cross their fingers that they don’t receive the 3 a.m. phone call alerting them of the star player’s transgressions.
Clayton, the Worldwide Leader’s senior NFL writer, outlines seven things learned from the offseason programs, with No. 1 being the lack of readiness for rookie quarterbacks. Reading into Clayton’s words, he believes that no rookie quarterback will open the season as the team’s starting signal caller. Teddy Bridgewater is the most pro-ready, Clayton says, but Matt Cassel will get the first snap on opening day.
Taking a page out of Pete Carroll‘s playbook, Clayton writes that teams around the league are gravitating toward taller defensive backs. Case in point, the Kansas City Chiefs, who released 5-foot-9 cornerback Brandon Flowers in a cap-saving move. They’ll look to replace Flowers with 6-foot-1 Phillip Gaines, 6-foot-2 Marcus Cooper and 6-foot David Van Dyke, each of whom are first- or second-year players.
Other news and notes from around the league…
- Among the 10 Packers stories to watch before training camp opens by Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is peace of mind at backup quarterback. It wasn’t pretty for the Pack at QB when Aaron Rodgers went down in a Week 9 loss to the Bears, but coach Mike McCarthy should feel better about this year’s situation with Matt Flynn and Scott Tolzien backing up the All Pro, Dunne writes.
- Quarterback Jake Locker, receiver Kendall Wright and the defense’s front seven are all things Titans fans should feel good about, The Tennessean’s Jim Wyatt writes. Locker should be at 100% coming off foot surgery in November and had started the 2013 season with a bang, while Wright will team with Nate Washington and Justin Hunter to ease Locker’s return to health.
- Tom Brady‘s private quarterback coach, Tom House, admitted in an interview with SiriusXM radio that the three-time Super Bowl champion has struggled as of late to connect on the deep passes. “As he’s getting a little older you lose a little strength, you lose a little flexibility,” House said. “And what was happening was he was noticing that his accuracy and his long ball weren’t what they were three or four years ago. So we ran him through the computer, compared him to the models we have created for movement efficiency, and there were really, really small things that were causing his issues.”
NFC Notes: Gabbert, Cromartie, Peterson
The 49ers acquired Blaine Gabbert from the Jaguars earlier this offseason, with the hopes that he could become the backup to Colin Kaepernick. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman had good early impressions of Gabbert, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “(I’m) excited about Blaine,” said Roman. “He asks all the right questions.”
Gabbert appears humbled in his time with Jacksonville, and is ready to make a new start. “I just came in here and tried to put my best foot forward every day and really enjoy the process and get better on a consistent basis,” Gabbert said. “That’s what you look for in the spring — just consistent improvement and getting comfortable in the offense and with the new surroundings and the new guys you’re working with.”
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- While Cardinals‘ superstar Patrick Peterson has emerged as one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL, but his new teammate Antonio Cromartie is not sold on his skills, writes Nate Davis of USAToday.com. “You got three young guys that are up and coming, but right now it’s either me or (Revis) when we’re healthy. … We have zero help at all; we tell the safety to roll up to the other side. So we know what we can do,” said Cromartie. “I want these guys (Sherman, Peterson and Haden) to be on an island by themselves and play zero coverage (no safety help) – they (haven’t done) it yet. They haven’t done anything that me and Revis have done in a Rex Ryan defense.”
- As new offensive coordinator Norv Turner implements his offense on the Vikings, one key aspect he would like is increasing Adrian Peterson‘s role in the passing game, writes Derek Wetmore of 1500ESPN.com. “A big part of that is finding ways for Adrian to not have to run in such crowded areas all the time. He’s going to have to do that, that’s part of his job, he’s the best in the league at it.,” said Turner. “But if we can get him more space we can take advantage of his great abilities.”
- The Packers have an open starting job at tight end with Jermichael Finley not re-signed, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Andrew Quarless filled in well for Finley last season, but has not reported for OTAs this season as he looks for a new contract. In his absence, rookie Richard Rogers has emerged as a possible frontrunner for the starting job.
- T.J. Yates, who was traded from the Texans to the Falcons on Wednesday night, tells D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he couldn’t be happier with his change of scenery.
Zach Links contributed to this post.