AFC Notes: Dalton, Glenn, Colts, London
Shortly after star wideout A.J. Green said he doesn’t want to play with any other quarterback besides Andy Dalton, the Dalton support campaign continued, with Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson praising his QB.
“We are tethered together,” Jackson told Michael Silver of NFL.com. “And I’ll jump off a building with this guy, because I believe in the things he’s trying to accomplish with his career, and I think I can help him.”
Dalton is entering the final year of his current contract, and has reportedly discussed an extension with the team, though it’s not clear whether the two sides will reach a long-term agreement in the near future. Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Cordy Glenn was arguably the Bills‘ best offensive lineman a year ago, but he’s not extension-eligible until after the 2014 season, at which point locking him up figures to become a top priority for the team, says Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. Because Glenn wasn’t a first-round pick, Buffalo won’t hold a fifth-year option on his rookie deal.
- Pointing to Andre Johnson‘s contract with the Texans as an example, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggests that simple contract restructures don’t always benefit the player, since they result in larger cap hits in later years of the deal, increasing the likelihood of the player’s release. While there’s some truth to that, I’d point out that restructures also increase the dead money on a contract in those future seasons, which somewhat offsets the increased cap hit — Before it was reworked, Johnson’s deal had a more manageable cap number for 2015, but it also had less dead money for ’15, so if he’s at risk to be cut next year, that risk probably would’ve existed either way.
- In his latest mailbag, Kevin Bowen of Colts.com explores how free agent signee Hakeem Nicks will fit in Indianapolis, and discusses a few other Colts-related topics.
- Maurice Jones-Drew, Charles Woodson, and Marcel Reece are among the Raiders looking forward to this year’s game in London, and both Jones-Drew and Matt Schaub went so far as to suggest that the European city deserves an NFL franchise, as Neil Reynolds details at BritViewNFL.com (hat tip to Pro Football Talk).
Extra Points: Cowboys, Smith, Bucs, Jackson
As a part of a roundtable discussion on FOX Sports Live, Randy Moss was quite critical of Jason Garrett and the Cowboys‘ coaching staff, writes Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “When you look on paper, it’s every year that the Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders have a lot of talent on their team,” Moss said. “I mean, talented, top-end players. For the Dallas Cowboys to keep sputtering every year, it’s not the players – some of it falls on the players – but go on up top and see what’s going on.” More out of the NFC..
- 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith has left CAA Sports to join up with Relativity Sports, according to Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal (on Twitter). NFL agents Doug Hendrickson & CJ Laboy will represent the talented and troubled athlete.
- Jason Fitzgerald’s series on teams’ best and worst contracts continues today at OverTheCap.com with a closer look at the Rams’ cap situation. Offensive tackle Jake Long and tight end Jared Cook earn respective best and worst contract honors for St. Louis for the second straight year, according to Fitzgerald.
- The Buccaneers badly need change and that all starts with new head coach Lovie Smith, writes Chris Korman of USA Today. Last year, Tampa Bay had a weird season under coach Greg Schiano and notched just four wins despite having big name talents like Darrelle Revis and receiver Vincent Jackson. It’s already clear that Smith is ready to take a different approach. “This is what I’ve found from men: They will do whatever you ask them to do if you look them in the eye and they feel like you know what you’re talking about and you have a plan,” Smith said. “I never had a hard time. I’ve dealt with very few players I haven’t been able to motivate and get them to do what we ask them to do. They’ll listen.“
- New Colts linebacker D’Qwell Jackson says that he’s happy to be in the same locker room as quarterback Andrew Luck, writes Kevin Bowen of Colts.com. “It’s a breath of fresh air to see a quarterback on the other side that is learning, getting better each and every day. He’s making my game much better. He does a phenomenal job in practice of managing the offense, making the right reads. Whatever I can do to help him, great, and vice versa.”
- In today’s mailbag, Craig Kelley of Colts.com writes that he believes Brandon McKinney can author a new chapter in his career this season. The defensive lineman signed with the Colts earlier this offseason and is looking to get back in the groove after two knee surgeries.
Extra Points: Graham, Jones, Cowboys
Earlier today, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk got his hands on testimony from the Jimmy Graham franchise-tag grievance hearing. One of the more interesting highlights: former Buccaneers special assistant to the head coach Butch Davis said that the team’s draft strategy in 2012 was fueled directly by a desire to stop Graham. “We took [safety] Mark Barron in the first round simply because of Jimmy Graham,” Davis said of the team’s decision with the eighth overall pick that year. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, the Saints have gone 4-0 against the Bucs since then. Here’s more from around the league..
- In former Ravens defensive end Arthur Jones, it’s clear that the Colts got the type of player and personality that they’ve been looking for, writes Kevin Bowen of Colts.com. Indianapolis pried Jones away from Baltimore this offseason with a five-year, $33MM deal that includes $10MM in guaranteed money.
- Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com looks back to see what could have been for the Cowboys had they gambled on certain players. For example, if they put in a higher bid in the 2012 supplemental draft, they could have won top prize Josh Gordon, who is suspended for the 2014 season. The Cowboys would also look rather different if they went with Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel in this year’s draft. While both athletes are talented, right now it seems like the Cowboys were better off steering clear of both of them.
- Brandon George of the Dallas News writes that the Cowboys have depth but very little experience at the left defensive end spot.
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.
Hasselbeck Hopes To Play For Colts Beyond ’14
Matt Hasselbeck is entering the final season of his two-year contract as Andrew Luck‘s backup in Indianapolis, but if it were up to him, his time with the Colts may extend past 2014. As he tells Kevin Bowen of Colts.com, Hasselbeck would love to continue his playing career in Indianapolis in 2015 and beyond.
“Ideally, that would be a dream come true,” Hasselbeck said. “There’s no timetable where I need to make a call on that, but I set a short term goal of finishing my contract. I’m close to accomplishing that and if I do, I’ll have to figure out a new goal.”
One of the NFL’s longest-tenured players, Hasselbeck was a sixth-round pick in 1998, and has played for the Packers, Seahawks, Titans, and Colts during over the course of the last decade and a half. While he has 152 career starts to his name, the 38-year-old has transitioned into a backup role late in his career, and likely will only see the field in blowout wins or losses in ’14, barring an injury to Luck.
Still, at $3.625MM per year, Hasselbeck is one of the league’s highest-paid backups. If the Colts have interest in re-signing the veteran signal-caller when his current contract expires, it would likely be at a slightly more modest rate. We’ll have to wait and see whether Indianapolis wants to move on to a younger option, but the club showed this offseason that it doesn’t mind employing players well into their 40s, re-signing kicker Adam Vinatieri to a two-year contract that will keep him under team control until he turns 43.
Werder On Graham, Saints, Josh Gordon
ESPN NFL insider Ed Werder reported earlier today that the Saints are expected to resume contract negotiations with tight end Jimmy Graham this week, but that wasn’t Werder’s only morning update. He has a few more details on Graham, as well as a note on troubled Browns receiver Josh Gordon, so let’s round up the highlights….
- Sources tell Werder that Stephen Burbank’s decision to consider Graham a tight end rather than a wide receiver made the Saints star more appealing to other teams around the NFL. Somewhat lost in the dispute over Graham’s position is the fact that he’s still technically a free agent, albeit a restricted one — if another team is willing to give up two future first-round picks, it could sign the 27-year-old to an offer sheet and hope New Orleans decides not to match it.
- As Werder notes, clubs expecting to draft in the 27-32 range in the first round next year could be top candidates to pursue Graham, since the draft-pick penalty wouldn’t be so harsh. Werder identifies the Patriots, Colts, and Falcons as possible teams to watch. However, he doesn’t believe the Packers would consider such a move since they value their draft picks highly and want to maintain room to re-sign Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb.
- Of course, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets, many teams expecting to pick late in the first round don’t have the cap space to make Graham an offer that the Saints would have trouble matching. Of the teams mentioned by Werder, the Colts – with $13MM+ in room – are best positioned from a cap perspective.
- As for Gordon, sources tell Werder (Twitter link) that some people close to the Browns wideout have been urging him “to seek professional assistance for substance-abuse issues” since high school. Gordon’s former Cleveland teammate, D’Qwell Jackson, is among those imploring those around him to reach out. “He needs help, he really does,” Jackson said, according to James Walker of ESPN.com. “He needs people to extend themselves and probably have to do more than they wanted to do. But if [the Browns] care anything about the kid, they have to do it.”
- More Jackson on Gordon: “[He] was a big piece of the Browns‘ future; It’s just unfortunate he didn’t view it that way. He is so valuable. He doesn’t understand how valuable he is to an organization. He has no clue.”
AFC South Notes: Brazill, Titans, Jags, Texans
Our Offseason in Review series has hit the AFC South, and so far we’ve completed reports on three of the four teams in the division: the Colts, the Titans, and the Jaguars. An analysis of 2014’s last-place team, the Texans, will be up soon, but until then, let’s look at some notes from around the South:
- The Colts were put in a tough position following LaVon Brazill‘s suspension for drug usasge, writes Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis owner Jim Irsay’s struggles with drugs and alcohol also came to light this offseason, and the team offered him its full support. Therefore, the Colts must act delicately with regards to Brazill in order to avoid double standard accusations.
- In his latest mailbag, Mike Wells of ESPN.com opines that while Trent Richardson will get the first crack at the Colts’ starting running back job, Ahmad Bradshaw could be in line for ample playing time if Richardson falters.
- The Titans have something of a logjam at running back, writes David Climer of the Tennessean, with holdover Shonn Greene, second-rounder Bishop Sankey, and free agent addition Dexter McCluster among the ball-carrying options. Undrafted free agent Antonio Andrews has also been impressive, and he knows that even if success doesn’t come in Tennessee, it could occur elsewhere. “Every day’s a job interview,” said the Western Kentucky product. “You’re not just interviewing with one team. You’re interviewing for the NFL. You never know when a coach on another team is going to say, ‘Remember that guy with the Titans and how hard he worked? We want him.’ ” ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky recently noted that Andrews has a “nice skill set.”
- Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union wonders how well second-round receivers Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson will fare for the Jaguars, and takes a look at the recent history of pass-catchers taken in the second round.
- The Texans are shaping up as one of the more interesting teams heading into next season, and Jordan Goodwin of USA Today offers a position-by-position preview of Houston’s squad.
Poll: Who Will Win The AFC South?
No NFL team in 2013 won its division by a more significant margin than the Colts, whose 11 regular-season victories were nearly as many as the combined total of 13 compiled by the other three teams in their division. On the surface, a seven-win Titans squad that didn’t noticeably improve this offseason shouldn’t pose a real threat to Indianapolis in 2014, and the 4-12 Jaguars and 2-14 Texans would both have to pull off massive turnarounds to challenge for the division crown.
Still, as betting site Bovada.lv shows, although the Colts head into 2014 as the frontrunners to win the AFC South again, they’re not massive favorites. Vegas’ oddsmakers appreciated the work done by the Texans this winter and spring — while the team didn’t make many substantial free agent additions, it added No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney to a defensive line that already featured J.J. Watt. It’s safe to say Andrew Luck and other quarterbacks around the division aren’t looking forward to seeing those two fearsome pass rushers on the other side of the ball twice a season. This is also a Houston club that’s only a year removed from an 11-win season and seems poised for at least a moderate bounce back — the performance of new signal-caller Ryan Fitzpatrick may determine exactly how far the Texans can go.
The Titans, meanwhile, shouldn’t be overlooked, even though I think they’ll be hard-pressed to match even last year’s win total. A younger, more diverse backfield could easily be more productive than Chris Johnson was in his last season in Tennessee, and new coach Ken Whisenhunt has done good work with quarterbacks in the past — perhaps his influence will help Jake Locker exceed expectations in a contract year.
As for the Jags, they’re probably at least a year or two from making any real noise in the South, but the team made some nice, under-the-radar veteran additions in the offseason, including defensive ends Red Bryant and Chris Clemons, guard Zane Beadles, linebacker Dekoda Watson, defensive lineman Ziggy Hood, and running back Toby Gerhart. Like so many other teams, their fortunes will likely come down to quarterback play. While Chad Henne‘s upside is limited, No. 3 pick Blake Bortles could put more pressure on defenses if he gets a chance to play in his rookie year.
What do you think? Do any of the division’s other squads have a chance to unseat Indianapolis at the top of the AFC South this year, or will Luck and the Colts repeat?
Which team will win the AFC South?
-
Indianapolis Colts 77% (295)
-
Houston Texans 12% (46)
-
Jacksonville Jaguars 6% (22)
-
Tennessee Titans 5% (21)
Total votes: 384
Previously:
Who will win the AFC North?
Who will win the AFC West?
AFC South Links: Jaguars, Titans, Colts
Our Offseason in Review series has moved on to the AFC South, with Zach Links looking last night at 2013’s division champs, and the roster shuffling done by the Colts this winter and spring. Keep an eye on PFR over the long weekend for the next few installments in the series, as we tackle the Titans, Jaguars, and Texans. In the meantime, here are a few odds and ends out of the South:
- Ken Hornack of Fox Sports Florida takes an in-depth look at new Jaguars wideout Marqise Lee, who is one of four 2014 draftees who remains unsigned. Considering Hornack’s piece doesn’t touch on Lee’s contract situation at all, it seems there’s little reason to be concerned about the two sides reaching an agreement this month.
- Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union believes there should be some optimism for the Jaguars‘ pass rush this season, if only because it can’t be any worse than it has been over the last couple seasons. The club added Dekoda Watson and Chris Clemons in free agency, and expects continued growth from Andre Branch.
- Within his latest Titans mailbag, ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky says he expects there to be a wide receiver on the team in Week 1 or Week 2 that isn’t currently on the roster.
- Kevin Bowen of Colts.com also fields questions in a mailbag today, discussing the Colts‘ starting running back job, the team’s defensive line rotation, and its receiving corps.
Offseason In Review: Indianapolis Colts
Notable signings:
- Vontae Davis (CB): Four years, $36MM. $15MM guaranteed.
- D’Qwell Jackson (ILB): Four years, $22MM. $10.13MM guaranteed.
- Arthur Jones (DL): Five years, $33MM. $10MM guaranteed.
- Pat McAfee (P): Five years, $14.5MM. $3.75MM guaranteed.
- Hakeem Nicks (WR): One year, $3.975MM. $2.25MM guaranteed.
- Adam Vinatieri (K): Two years, $5MM. $500K guaranteed.
- Fili Moala (DL): One year, $1.6MM. $300K guaranteed. Placed on injured reserve.
- Sergio Brown(S): One year, $1.4MM. $300K guaranteed.
- Henoc Muamba (ILB): Three years, $1.53MM. $107K guaranteed.
- Mike Adams (S): One year, minimum salary benefit. $65K guaranteed.
- Colt Anderson (S): One year, minimum salary benefit. $65K guaranteed.
- Josh Gordy (CB): One year, $1.431MM. Accepted RFA tender.
- Joe Reitz (G): One year, $1.431MM. Accepted RFA tender.
- Ahmad Bradshaw (RB): One year, minimum salary benefit.
Notable losses:
- Pat Angerer (LB)
- Antoine Bethea (S)
- Donald Brown (RB)
- Tashard Choice (RB): Released
- Kavell Conner (LB)
- Aubrayo Franklin (DT)
- Darrius Heyward-Bey (WR)
- Jeff Linkenbach (OL)
- Ricardo Mathews (DE)
- Mike McGlynn (OL)
- Samson Satele (C): Released
- Cassius Vaughn (CB)
Draft picks:
- Jack Mewhort, OL, Ohio State (2.59): Signed
- Donte Moncrief, WR, Ole Miss (3.90): Signed
- Jonathan Newsome, DE, Ball State (5.166): Signed
- Andrew Jackson, LB, Western Kentucky (6.203): Signed
- Ulrick John, OT, Georgia State (7.232): Signed
Other:
- Hired Rob Chudzinski as special assistant.
- Signed Dallas Clark to a one-day contract so he could retire as a Colt.
- Signed Phil Costa, who retired several weeks later.
- Exercised Anthony Castonzo‘s fifth-year option for 2015 ($7.438MM).
- Received word that Robert Mathis will be suspended for four games.
- Signed 20 rookie free agents after the draft.
One of the earliest entries in this year’s Pro Football Rumors’ Offseason In Review series was a look at the Browns, a team that made massive wholesale changes and the most talked about draft pick of the year. While there’s a massive personnel and culture change underway in Cleveland, that’s not the case in Indianapolis. This was an offseason of retooling for the Colts, who hope that their minor tweaks will be enough to put them atop the AFC South in 2014.
The Colts wasted little time in putting pen to paper when free agency officially started this offseason. Just hours in, the Colts reached agreement on a new deal with their top cornerback Vontae Davis. At $39MM over four years, the Colts didn’t get away cheap, but the did fortify their secondary for years to come. Indianapolis could have had a massive crater to fill this offseason had they not wrapped him up considering the premium on free agent CBs this offseason and the dearth of quality options in this year’s draft. Now, the onus is on Davis to pay the Colts back with consistent play. When he’s on, Davis is one of the better corners in the league. When he’s not, opposing quarterbacks have a much easier time in the passing game. Just $15MM of Davis’ deal is guaranteed in total, so if things go south, the Colts can move on without having their cap flexibility crippled. In the short term, the Colts are probbaly better off with a returning Davis and Greg Toler than what they could have come up with out of house.
Of course, the Colts defense as a whole isn’t exactly world class. To help boost the linebacking corps, the Colts added former Browns locker room sparkplug D’Qwell Jackson and ex-Ravens defensive end Arthur Jones. Jackson got a four-year, $22MM deal out of the Colts and they’re hoping that the investment will bring them some hard-tackles as well as real veteran leadership for the younger players. For his part, Jackson says that he’s delighted to get away from “the Cleveland situation,” so there’s every reason to believe that he’ll bust his hump for his new club. In more ways than one, Jackson will be filling the shoes of departing LB Pat Angerer.
Jones, meanwhile, hooked on with a five-year, $33MM pact ($10MM of which is guaranteed). The four-year vet, like Jackson, brings a high-intensity approach to the game and a top notch work ethic. Jones started 20 of his 46 games played with the Ravens, totaling 8.5 sacks over the last two seasons. He’ll be asked to stuff the run on early downs and rush the passer on favorable down-and-distance situations and he says that he doesn’t care whether he’s lined up as a bookend or on the inside. The athletic Jones will probably see more time at DE, but don’t be surprised to see him pitch in at tackle also.
On the other side of the ball, the Colts re-signed Ahmad Bradshaw to an extremely low-risk one-year deal. Bradshaw underwent season-ending neck surgery in October and seemed destined to head elsewhere, but a minimum salary deal will keep him in blue and white. Of course, Bradshaw won’t be the focal point of the Colts’ running game as Vick Ballard and Trent Richardson figure to take the lion’s share of carries. That reality makes Bradshaw’s decision somewhat perplexing. One would think that a veteran coming off of a serious injury would rather take his services elsewhere to a team that would showcase him more and allow him to cash in in the following year. Whether that hurts Bradshaw’s wallet remains to be seen, but it’s a definite plus for the Colts. One thing Bradshaw has going for him in the battle for playing time are the departures of Tashard Choice and former Colts backfield mainstay Donald Brown.
Another former Giant notable will be joining the Colts this season – Hakeem Nicks. The wiry wide receiver was once the toast of the town in New York but injuries last season slowed him down considerably. For the first time in his career, Nicks went an entire season without finding pay dirt even once. He might not be able to regain his All-Pro form in 2014 but, then again, the Colts don’t need him too. The former UNC star will be there to help support T.Y. Hilton and veteran Reggie Wayne (perhaps supplanting Wayne if he can’t deliver), taking the spot vacated by Darius Heyward-Bey. At one-year and just $2.25MM guaranteed, Hicks would have been a solid pickup for any club this offseason. Rookie Donte Moncrief, Da’Rick Rogers, and Griff Whalen will also be there in support of the Colts’ primary receiving trio. LaVon Brazill, who got slapped with a suspension earlier today, won’t be.
Thanks to the Richardson deal, the Colts were without their first round pick in this year’s draft. With what was left, the Colts went and filled their remaining holes the best they could. Their top pick turned out to be Ohio State lineman Jack Mewhort. Adding a rookie to the mix on the offensive line is always treacherous and it might not help that they have quite a question mark in the middle of that o-line. The Colts will be rolling with sophomore center Khaled Holmes even though some expected them to go out and get someone with a more impressive pedigree, like Browns restricted free agent Alex Mack. Phil Costa, who should have been there in support of Holmes, opted to retire.
Ultimately, the Colts are a team doubling down on what they have and they didn’t feel the need to make major changes to reassert themselves in 2014. Their conservative approach to the offseason was something of a gamble in itself, and Colts fans need to hope that it will pay off.
Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post.