South Notes: Pagano, Titans, Mathis, Panthers
Expectations are high in Indianapolis this season, with Colts owner Jim Irsay suggesting that he’d like to see his team win “at least two world championships” while Andrew Luck is the quarterback. Those high expectations, combined with the fact that Chuck Pagano is entering the final year of his contract, could mean it’s a “Super Bowl or bust” season for the Colts’ head coach, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
La Canfora hears that there’s “consistent chatter” around the Colts about possible tension between Pagano and GM Ryan Grigson, who haven’t always seen eye to eye on staff decisions — per La Canfora, Grigson strongly supported Pep Hamilton as offensive coordinator, while Pagano was more inclined to go with Rob Chudzinski.
I’m skeptical that Irsay and the Colts are drawing a hard “Super Bowl or bust” line with Pagano, but it’s somewhat surprising that the two sides haven’t been able to work out a new deal yet. As we wait to see what this season brings for Pagano and his team, let’s round up a few more Friday notes from around the NFL’s two South divisions….
- The Titans are monitoring Evan Mathis‘ situation, according to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who suggests Tennessee’s interest in the veteran guard could intensify if the team’s offensive line play doesn’t improve in this weekend’s preseason game vs. the Rams.
- In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Field Yates examines the Panthers‘ options for replacing Kelvin Benjamin, wondering if the Colts might be a logical trade partner — players like Donte Moncrief and Duron Carter may find themselves pushed far down on Indianapolis’ depth chart, with T.Y. Hilton, Andre Johnson, and Phillip Dorsett expected to be the club’s top three wideouts. For what it’s worth, Carolina was one of the teams interested in Carter before he signed with the Colts.
- Jim Woodcock, spokesman for Jaguars owner Shad Kahn, denied an international report claiming that the Jaguars have extended their deal with London’s Wembley Stadium through the 2030 season, per Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union. However, Woodcock added that discussions for the team to continue its London series “have been frequent and promising.”
Extra Points: Cousins, Jets, Hilton, Watkins
If Dan Quinn was hired by the Jets instead of Todd Bowles, the team likely would have dumped Geno Smith in favor of Kirk Cousins, Manish Mehta of the Daily News hears. Quinn’s plan for Gang Green included adding offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, and his vision didn’t include Smith. Sources say the Washington play-caller wanted to instead trade for Cousins, who showed promise in two years under Shanahan While you ponder that what-if, here’s more from around the NFL..
- After the Colts signed T.Y. Hilton to a $65MM deal, Stephen Holder of the Indy Star wonders if the team will still have enough room to get deals done with its other young stars. The Colts will have to cut a massive check to Pro Bowl quarterback Andrew Luck, who will command far more than $20MM annually. Also, the team is negotiating with left tackle Anthony Castonzo, who is essential as one of Luck’s protectors. By the time the Colts get to the likes of tight ends Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener, it’s fair to wonder if they’ll have enough cash to get deals done.
- Jets guard Oday Aboushi has been suspended without pay for the first game of the season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets. In a statement issued by Aboushi’s reps (via Rand Getlin of NFL.com on Twitter), they explained that the lineman was stopped in his car back in January when cops found a small amount of pot in his car.
- With the Bills and Browns facing off on Monday night, Chris Fedor of The Plain Dealer revisited last year’s Sammy Watkins deal. Cornerback Justin Gilbert, who the Browns took with the No. 8 pick, has been off to a rough start and some are question whether he’ll ever meet his rookie year expectations. Cleveland’s side of the deal will also hinge heavily on the future of offensive lineman Cameron Erving, who the Browns selected with the Bills’ pick this year.
South Rumors: Castonzo, Kuechly, Brooks
The latest news and rumors out of the AFC South and NFC South focus on a handful of candidates for contract extensions. Let’s round up the highlights….
- Earlier in camp, Colts owner Jim Irsay singled out T.Y. Hilton and left tackle Anthony Castonzo as two players the team would like to sign to contract extensions before the regular season. The team has now finalized a new deal with Hilton, and GM Ryan Grigson acknowledged today that the club has active negotiations ongoing with Castonzo, tweets Mike Wells of ESPN.com.
- This morning, we heard that extension discussions between the Panthers and Luke Kuechly were “heating up,” but head coach Ron Rivera doesn’t want to assume his standout linebacker will get a new contract right away. Rivera tells ESPN.com’s David Newton that the odds of something getting done by Week 1 are still about 50/50. Personally, I’d be surprised if the two sides hadn’t agreed to terms by then.
- Sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle that the Texans would like to lock up guard Brandon Brooks to an extension, though it will depend how expensive he gets. If Brooks were to reach free agency in 2016, he would likely be in heavy demand as one of the best players available at his position, alongside perhaps Ravens guard Kelechi Osemele.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/18/15
Here are Tuesday’s minor signings, cuts, and other transactions from around the NFL:
- Long snapper Nate Boyer, who took an unusual path to the NFL, has been waived by the Seahawks, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (Twitter link). With the newly-created roster spot, the Seahawks appear to have signed quarterback Jake Waters, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter links).
- The Steelers have reduced the number of quarterbacks on their roster by one, announcing today that they’ve cut Tajh Boyd, replacing him with wide receiver Jarrod West (Twitter link via Burt Lauten).
- Vikings tackle Phil Loadholt, who tore his Achilles on Saturday, has been officially placed on injured reserve, the team announced today. To replace him, Minnesota signed former Giants tackle Stephen Goodin.
- The Eagles‘ roster turnover at linebacker continues, as the team announced today (via Twitter) that it has signed former Southern Mississippi linebacker Dasman McCullum to replace Jordan Dewalt-Ondijo, who has been waived/injured due to an ankle injury.
- The Colts made a change to their wide receiver group, signing UDFA wideout L.T. Smith and waiving Tyler Rutenbeck, according to a team release.
- Former Emporia State wide receiver Austin Willis has been waived by the Raiders, tweets Herbie Teope of ChiefsDigest.com.
- The Cardinals have a new body in their secondary, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, who reports that safety Anthony Walters has signed a one-year deal with the club. Linebacker Zack Wagenmann, who broke his foot, has been waived/injured, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
- More updates from Wilson: The Saints have cut receiver Kyle Prater and waived/injured defensive tackle Lawrence Virgil (Twitter link), the Jets have cut punter Jacob Schum (Twitter link), the Cowboys have cut cornerback Jason Wilson from their injured reserve list with an injury settlement (Twitter link), and the Steelers have removed running back Cameron Stingily from their IR with a settlement (Twitter link).
Extra Points: Rivers, Hilton, Ngata, Cherilus
Over the weekend, the Chargers and quarterback Philip Rivers reached agreement on a lucrative four-year extension worth $84MM. Today, we learned the details of the contract.
Rivers will earn a $22.5MM signing bonus with $15MM fully guaranteed in 2015, Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets. He’ll have a $16.5MM injury-only guarantee in 2016 which converts to a full guarantee on the second day of the ’16 waiver period. In 2017, Rivers will earn $14MM with $11MM guaranteed for injury only that will convert to a full guarantee on the second day of the waiver period. In the final two years, he’ll make $10MM and $11MM, respectively, with a $5MM roster bonus in each of those seasons.
That’s big bucks for the Bolts QB, but as we learned earlier tonight, that kind of deal apparently isn’t good enough for Giants quarterback Eli Manning. Here’s more from around the NFL..
- T.Y. Hilton‘s deal with the Colts calls for him to earn base salaries of $1MM, $3MM, $8MM, $11MM, $13MM, and $14.54MM, Mike Chappell of the Indy Star tweets. Hilton’s new deal with Indianapolis could pay him $65MM in total with $39MM guaranteed.
- Contract talks between the Lions and defensive tackle Haloti Ngata are ongoing and positive, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets. Ngata, a five-time All Pro, indicated in March that he would be open to an extension, and Lions GM Martin Mayhew has said that team management is also interested in working out a long-term deal.
- Gosder Cherilus‘ deal with the Buccaneers is worth $7MM over two years, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The offensive lineman will earn $2.5MM this year and $4.5MM next year. Cherilus gets a $500K roster bonus in 2016 and his $2M base salary escalates to $3M if he plays 75 percent of the snaps in 2015, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets.
- Cardinals UDFA rookie linebacker Zack Wagenmann broke his foot again and will miss the entire 2015 season, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/17/15
Today’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves..
- To make room for Chris Johnson, the Cardinals have waived/injured Brandon Person, Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic tweets. Person tore his ACL on Saturday.
- The Chiefs announced that they have signed linebacker Ja’Gared Davis and cut wide receiver Adam Drake, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
- The Saints signed linebackers Justin Anderson and Chris Young, defensive tackle Austin Brown, and tight end Michael Egnew, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Packers released Adrian Coxson outright but the player will pursue an injury settlement, Wilson tweets.
- The Dolphins announced that they have waived tight end Arthur Lynch and signed free agent linebacker James Davidson in his stead, James Walker of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Seahawks released defensive tackle Jimmy Staten and linebacker Dakorey Johnson, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (on Twitter). Seattle also signed defensive backs Jeremy Crayton and Keelan Johnson.
- The Jaguars have waived undrafted rookie linebacker Matt Robinson with an injury settlement, John Oehser of Jaguars.com tweets.
- The Panthers (on Twitter) announced that they have signed punter Matt Wile and waived/injured tight end Jamie Childers.
- The Colts announced that they have waived-injured linebacker Cody Galea and signed linebacker Nicklas Haag, Mike Chappell of the Indy Star tweets.
Extra Points: Osweiler, Seahawks, Bills
As Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) explains, the Broncos have a pair of questions to answer in regard to Brock Osweiler. The first is whether the quarterback is capable of replacing Peyton Manning when the future Hall-of-Famer retires, and the second is whether the club will be able to retain Osweiler beyond the 2015 season.
According to Cole, John Elway and the Broncos decide they want to keep the young signal-caller around, they may try to work out a deal that’s heavy on incentives, meaning Osweiler would earn those bonuses if he eventually lands the starting job. However, it’s not clear yet if Denver would try to get something done with Osweiler in the next few weeks, or if the club is more inclined to wait until after the season to make its decision.
Let’s check out a few more Monday odds and ends from around the NFL….
- With Tarvaris Jackson dealing with a sprained ankle, the Seahawks may add another quarterback to their roster, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Per Condotta, the club worked out a QB today, though that player has yet to be identified.
- Having seen multiple players in their front seven go down injuries over the last few days, the Bills are bringing in several free agent defenders for workouts, according to Mike Rodak and Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Per the ESPN report, defensive lineman Red Bryant and edge defenders Marcus Benard and Quentin Groves are auditioning for Buffalo.
- Free agent running back Joe McKnight, who is recovering from a torn Achilles, has been fully cleared for all activities by foot/ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson, tweets Caplan. McKnight worked out for the Texans recently, but didn’t sign with the team.
- Peter King of TheMMQB.com covers a number of topics in his latest piece, listing Ahmad Bradshaw atop his list of the best available free agent running backs, and suggesting that new Bills DE IK Enemkpali will likely face at least a two-game suspension.
- Colts head coach Chuck Pagano refuses to let his contract status be a distraction as he enters the final year of his deal, telling ESPN’s Mike Wells that he has “the best job in the entire world right now,” and his focus is on getting the most out of his team.
- There were rumblings that the Falcons might consider re-signing linebacker Prince Shembo after his legal case was resolved, but D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that the team decided to pass on bringing back the former fourth-round pick.
AFC Links: Mettenberger, Manziel, Cyprien, Broncos
After an impressive showing Friday night behind already-anointed starter Marcus Mariota, Zach Mettenberger should be a Bills or Jets trade target, offers Louis Riddick of ESPN.com.
But the value the Titans would extract in such an exchange wouldn’t equal what they’ll receive with the second-year quarterback serving as key depth behind the No. 2 overall pick, writes Riddick’s ESPN cohort, Paul Kuharsky.
The ESPN Titans reporter notes Mettenberger’s value will go up in time and trading him for what could amount to merely a conditional draft pick now won’t outweigh having a potentially talented backup in case Mariota struggles or experiences health concerns.
Let’s look at some more news from around the AFC.
- Joining Julius Thomas as an injury-induced preseason spectator will be Jaguars starting safety Jonathan Cyprien, who will miss August with a broken finger in his right hand sustained Friday night, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter). The 2013 second-rounder’s Week 1 status is uncertain, but Cyprien did play through the injury Friday night and won’t require surgery. Jags coach Gus Bradley is optimistic both will be available, however, per Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Mike Pettine admitted in an interview with Sports Illustrated he fired quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains due to Johnny Manziel not being held accountable for a disastrous rookie season, notes Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “What we did not do a good enough job here [last year], not nearly a good enough job, is holding [Manziel] accountable, even when he wasn’t the guy,” Pettine told Sports Illustrated. “That’s the main reason why I made the switch at the QB coach position.” The Browns now have 30-year-old Kevin O’Connell in charge of Manziel’s development.
- The Browns’ coach has been publicly challenging players all week, noting his disagreement with Justin Gilbert‘s “flawless” assessment of his play Thursday night, per Jeff Schudel of the News-Herald.
- The Broncos‘ hopes at attaining a third Super Bowl title hinge on their defense making good on expectations, unlike last year, writes Troy Renck of the Denver Post. They bring back most of the starting unit, with Terrance Knighton‘s nose tackle spot being the most noticeable void.
- Dan Herron shouldn’t expect to serve in any type of committee with Frank Gore this season, and the fourth-year runner may not have a claim to the third-down back role he occupied at the end of last season, writes Kevin Bowen of Colts.com. Herron did catch 21 passes last season despite starting just three games, while Gore snagged 11 throughout the season.
T.Y. Hilton, Colts Agree To Extension
SATURDAY, 8:42am: The breakdown of Hilton’s extension, courtesy of ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter), shows the Colts’ top wideout attached to just a $3.14MM cap number this season.
Hilton’s dues skyrocket beginning in 2016, however, with an $11MM cap figure slated for next season. The number plummets to $10MM in 2017, before the current version of this contract peaks the following year at $15MM. It finishes at $14.54MM in 2019.
Forty-four wideouts have greater cap hits in 2015 than does Hilton. The fourth-year receiver’s previous number resided at $1.67MM, less than $200K above 2015 first-rounder Phillip Dorsett.
THURSDAY, 8:20am: The Colts announced that they have have reached agreement on a five-year extension with T.Y. Hilton. It’s a $65MM extension with $39MM guaranteed, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter.
“It’s a great day for the Indianapolis Colts, T.Y. Hilton and his family,” Colts general manager Ryan Grigson said in a statement. “We’re extremely happy as an organization to ensure that T.Y. will continue to be a part of our journey for many years to come. His daily excellence on and off the field is a shining example of an individual striving for greatness and what it truly means to be a Colt.” 
Hilton’s $39MM guaranteed is nearly twice as much guaranteed money as any other player on the Colts roster. Quarterback Andrew Luck is second on the team in that category at $22.1MM, though his next contract could catapult him back to No. 1. Hilton, 25, enjoyed his best season to date in 2014, hauling in 82 catches for 1,345 yards and seven touchdowns. That performance earned him his first career Pro Bowl selection and the Colts were eager to lock him up even though he still had a year to go on his third-round rookie contract.
It’ll be interesting to see the exact breakdown on Hilton’s guarantees and get a clearer picture on how his deal stacks up against the likes of Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas. Right now, we know that Hilton’s deal came a little bit shy of both players on overall value since both players got five-year, $70MM deals from their respective teams.
Still, with an AAV just $1MM lower than Bryant and Thomas, the deal sounds like a solid one for agent Drew Rosenhaus. After all, one could argue that the 5’10” Hilton isn’t an elite No. 1 receiver or a red-zone threat like Bryant or Thomas and someone like Randall Cobb might be a more apt comparison for what he does. Cobb, who hauled in 91 balls and scored 12 touchdowns in 2014, signed a team-friendly four-year, $40MM deal with the Packers earlier this year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Reactions To T.Y. Hilton’s Extension
On Thursday morning, the Colts and wide receiver T.Y. Hilton agreed to a five-year extension worth a reported $65MM with $39MM guaranteed. That deal put Hilton just yards away from the substantial five-year, $70MM deals inked by Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas just weeks ago and that kind of cash made it worthwhile for him to forfeit testing his value on the open market down the road. Here’s a look at some of the reactions to Hilton’s new pact..
- Colts GM Ryan Grigson is moving away from Bill Polian’s philosophy of only doing new deals with players after contracts are completed and that suggests that an extension for Andrew Luck will get done in 2016, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets.
- Jimmy Sexton, Julio Jones‘ agent, is probably happy with Hilton’s deal, Corry tweets. Sexton likely views Hilton as a tier below Jones, which would set his the Falcons receiver up for a payday that exceeds the contracts signed by Hilton, Bryant, and Thomas.
- Now that Hilton is under contract, the Colts won’t have to tag him in 2016. That means that the franchise tag available for use on someone else, like left tackle Anthony Castonzo or tight end Coby Fleener, Mike Florio of PFT writes. The tender is much lower for tight ends than left tackles, so Florio writes that it would make sense for the Colts to sign Castonzo to a new deal and use the tag on Fleener.
- Locking up Hilton is just the start for the Colts and their core players, Mike Wells of ESPN.com writes. Wells feels that Castonzo is next on Indy’s to-do list, with tight ends Dwayne Allen and Fleener to follow. Wells seems to think that Luck staying is a foregone conclusion, writing that Colts owner Jim Irsay will make him the league’s highest paid player.
- If Bryant and Thomas were playing under $12.823MM franchise tags, then Hilton wouldn’t have gotten this extension, Corry tweets.
- Kevin Bowen of Colts.com looked at how the Hilton talks unfolded over the course of the offseason.
- Hilton is getting paid but the deal is a win-win for the wide receiver and the team, Gregg Doyel of the Indy Star writes. Doyel also commends Hilton for his professionalism in the wake of the team’s selection of Miami receiver Phillip Dorsett, a player who has a very similar skill set.