AFC Notes: Bortles, Ravens, Chiefs, Colts
We checked in on the NFC earlier this afternoon, so let’s head over to the AFC now and round up a few of the latest updates….
- Blake Bortles had formal interviews with eight franchises at the combine in Indianapolis, according to Paul Tenorio of the Orlando Sentinel. Of those eight teams, three – the Texans, Jaguars, and Titans – were AFC South squads. The Jets and Raiders also met with the UCF quarterback.
- With James Ihedigbo expected to leave in free agency, the Ravens would like to add a free safety this offseason, shifting Matt Elam to strong safety, writes Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com. Still, the team feels good about its secondary overall, and safety won’t be the top priority in May’s draft.
- The Chiefs had formal interviews in Indianapolis with Missouri defensive end Kony Ealy and Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard, reports Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter links).
- Cornerback Vontae Davis and safety Antoine Bethea are potential candidates to receive the Colts‘ franchise designation, but the free agent most likely to be tagged might be kicker Adam Vinatieri, says Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.
AFC Notes: Jets, Raiders, Colts, Texans
Local beat writer Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News doesn’t view the Jets as a likely candidate to sign Michael Vick, but it seems that isn’t the consensus perception around the NFL. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), the Jets are considered a “legitimate possible landing spot” for Vick, based on conversations he has had at the combine this week. I expect the Jets to look a tier or two below Vick if they pursue a free agent quarterback, and would be surprised if a reunion between Vick and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg actually materialized, but it sounds like we shouldn’t rule out the possibility.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Raiders owner Mark Davis and the team’s brass met with Johnny Manziel this weekend and came away “very impressed,” tweets Eddie Borsilli of SiriusXM NFL Radio. Oakland is expected to strongly consider drafting a quarterback with the No. 5 overall pick in May.
- The Colts aren’t expected to splurge in free agency this offseason, but they could take an approach that would allow them to spend in future years, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star, who suggests the possibility of signing shorter contracts, or frontloading deals.
- The Ravens conducted a formal interview with Minnesota defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman at the combine, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Mike Rodak of ESPN.com examines the Bills‘ options at kicker, where it’s no certainty that Dan Carpenter will return.
- Jadeveon Clowney isn’t an ideal fit for the Texans, even if the team decides not to take a quarterback, in the view of the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain. McClain’s colleague Jerome Solomon thinks the club’s interest in Clowney should be a moot point, suggesting in a separate Houston Chronicle column that Houston needs to draft a QB with the first overall pick.
AFC South Notes: Johnson, Fitzpatrick, Watt
The Titans and the representation for runningback Chris Johnson met at the NFL scouting combine, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennesseean. Johnson is scheduled to make $8MM in 2014, a price that the team is unlikely to pay. Johnson might not be willing to take a pay cut, and that could result in in the runningback’s release. The cap space the Titans would gain by releasing Johnson could help pay cornerback Alterraun Verner, who made his first Pro Bowl in 2013. Here are some other notes from around the AFC South:
- New Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt is on record saying that he holds backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in high regard, writes Wyatt. “Fitz is a good quarterback. He is a veteran guy that has played, and he made some plays for this team last year,” Whisenhunt said. “I have a lot of respect for what he has done in this league.” General manager Ruston Webster had the same sentiment.
- J.J. Watt is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, and the Texans are getting closer to being forced to make a decision about the star defensive lineman’s futre, writes Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com. The team has the ability to pick up the team option for a fifth year, but much like the situation in Carolina with Cam Newton, it might be better for both sides to come to terms on a long-term extension. Ganguli does know that the team does not Watt to reach free agency.
- Other players the Texans have to make decisions on are Antonio Smith, Garrett Graham, and Earl Mitchell, writes Ganguli. The original assumption was that these three might not be in the team’s long-term plans, but the new coaching staff might have different and evolving opinions of them.
- Colts‘ general manager Ryan Grigson has put out the idea of “Don’t rule anything out” when it comes to the NFL Draft, but Mike Wells of ESPN.com is pretty close to ruling them out of moving back into the first round. He sees the depth of this draft and the many holes the Colts need to fill would make them unlikely to package multiple assets to move up.
AFC South Notes: Colts, Richardson, Draft
Colts GM Ryan Grigson wants the team’s offensive line play to improve, according to Mike Wells of ESPN.com. Although the unit did give up nine fewer sacks than in 2012, injuries abounded and the interior line play was inconsistent. Grigson, who recently sounded lukewarm on the status of center Samson Satele, may have to look to the draft for improvements, as the center/guard free agent market is not all that strong save for Alex Mack. Advanced metrics differ on the play of the Colts’ offensive line — Pro Football Focus rated them as the 24th best unit, while Football Outsiders marked them as middle of the pack in run-blocking, but excellent in pass protection.
- Improved offensive line play could be the first step in getting more from running back Trent Richardson, and the Colts expect progress from him in 2014, writes Craig Kelly of Colts.com.
- Within the same piece, Grigson says “don’t rule anything out” when it comes to trading back into the first round of the draft. The Colts traded their 2014 first-round-pick for Richardson.
- Texans GM Rick Smith is a believer in the “best player available” strategy it terms of drafting players, writes Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com. “I think the risk is if you take a player that is not reflective of the value,” said Smith. “Because what you ultimately do is you miss on another player you should have been taking that has that value. That’s why we don’t rank our board with any type of consideration for need because when you do that, you make mistakes.” However, Smith did allow that quarterback is by far the most important position on the field, followed by pass-rusher.
- The Jaguars would likely want a first-rounder and either a second- or third-round-pick in exchange for moving out of the third overall draft position, writes ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco as part of a mailbag segment. He also notes the Jags will use free agency to bolster their offensive and defensive lines, but will not spend big on marquee names.
- In his mailbag, Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com argues that the Titans will likely draft a running back in the fourth round or later, ostensibly to pair with Shonn Greene. Fellow ball-carrier Chris Johnson is expected to be released.
AFC Notes: Pouncey, Chiefs, Satele, McGlynn
- “The Ted Wells report most likely saved the Dolphins a lot of money when it comes to Mike Pouncey,” says ESPN.com’s James Walker. Pouncey is a 24-year-old Pro Bowler, but his part in the bullying of Jonathan Martin “is reason enough to deny Pouncey a long-term extension,” according to Walker, who believes rewarding Pouncey would send a bad message.
- The Chiefs will not have to release any players for cap purposes, believes ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher, who also says the team must retain two of the three starting offensive linemen scheduled to hit free agency: Branden Albert, Jon Asamoah and Geoff Schwartz. Says Teicher: “[The Chiefs] might be able to get Schwartz and Asamoah for what they could pay Albert. That’s what makes the most sense. But I know Schwartz wants to be a starter (and get paid like one). I don’t blame him. He won’t come back for a backup job or backup money unless he can’t get better somewhere else. That’s true for Asamoah, too. So the Chiefs may be forced to choose between Schwartz and Asamoah and look elsewhere for their backups.”
- Colts center Samson Satele did not get a ringing endorsement from GM Ryan Grigson, says ESPN.com’s Mike Wells. Satele’s roster spot could be in jeopardy, as he struggled last season and counts $5.1MM against the 2014 salary cap. Additionally, Wells mentions some scouts think Mike McGlynn, a free agent-to-be, is a better option. The team also spent a fourth-round pick on Khaled Holmes, a developmental center out of USC.
AFC Notes: Dolphins, Colts, Chargers
Some information from around the American Football Conference…
- The Dolphins are unlikely to offer the franchise tag to cornerback Brent Grimes, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. While many, including NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal, thought it was a given that Grimes would receive the tag, it appears the Dolphins don’t want to commit the $11.3MM figure it would take to automatically bring the 30-year-old back.
- Colts general manager Ryan Grigson responded “yes” when asked if he would repeat the Trent Richardson deal, writes Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com. The Colts surrendered the 26th pick for Richardson, who ran for only 458 yards in 14 games for Indy.
- The Chargers are still awaiting decisions from center Nick Hardwick and receiver Malcolm Floyd on whether the players will retire, writes Michael Gehlkin of the U-T San Diego. Hardwick just finished his tenth NFL campaign while Floyd’s season ended in September when he suffered a neck injury.
- The Ravens met with a variety of offensive prospects at the NFL Combine. The team was scheduled to meet with running back Terrance West on Friday night, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The Ravens’ running back depth may be in a bit of a bind, and there’s no denying West’s talent after he ran for 2,509 yards and 42 total touchdowns last season. Wilson also says that the Ravens met with running backs Carlos Hyde (Ohio State), Andre Williams (Boston College) and Ka’Deem Carey (Arizona).
- The Ravens also met with receiver Kelvin Benjamin, says Wilson. The six-foot-five wideout from Florida State caught 15 touchdowns last season.
Extra Points: Wheeler, Grimes, Chargers, Gore
There have been some rumblings at the combine that the Dolphins could cut linebacker Philip Wheeler, according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle, who adds (via Twitter) that the Raiders would be “very interested” in bringing Wheeler back to Oakland if he were available. Still, I’d be pretty surprised if Miami decided to part ways with Wheeler. With several years of prorated bonus money still left on his deal, the Dolphins wouldn’t create any cap savings by releasing the 29-year-old this offseason.
As the Dolphins weigh that decision, let’s check out a handful of other updates from across the NFL….
- Cornerback Brent Grimes had been viewed as a candidate to be designated as the Dolphins’ franchise player this offseason. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com now hears that tagging Grimes may not be a realistic solution for Miami at a cost of about $11.3MM (Twitter link).
- Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com provides a few of the notable quotes from Chargers GM Tom Telesco during his Thurday sesssion with reporters. Telesco acknowledged that the team isn’t exactly “flush with cap space,” suggesting there will be some tough decisions to make in the next several weeks.
- In his comments to the media today, there were no indications that GM Trent Baalke and the 49ers will ask Frank Gore to take a pay cut for 2014, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
- After spending big in free agency a year ago, the Colts plan to be more judicious with their spending this offseason, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.
- According to ESPN.com’s David Newton, the time may be right for the Panthers to draft a QB to back up Cam Newton.
- The Ravens met with a pair of top-five OT draft prospects – Zack Martin and Taylor Lewan – at the combine, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- In an interview with Rob Maaddi of The Associated Press, former All-Pro receiver Terrell Owens suggested he still thinks he’s capable of playing in the NFL at age 40. In spite of T.O.’s confidence, I wouldn’t expect to see him sign with an NFL team anytime soon.
Vontae Davis, Colts In Early Stages Of Talks
The Colts and free agent cornerback Vontae Davis have begun negotiating a new agreement, but the two sides remain in the early stages of discussions, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. According to Holder, a deal is “far from imminent,” as the Colts and Davis wait for the free agent market to develop.
As Holder writes, teams with free agent cornerbacks figure to talk to those players’ camps at this week’s combine, and some clubs could decide to place the franchise tag on their free agent DBs. Those developments will help establish what sort of offers could be out there for Davis on the open market in March, which will help the two sides determine what might be fair value for the standout cornerback.
While Davis only grabbed one interception in 2013, the former 25th overall pick ranked among the best cornerbacks in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). Only Darrelle Revis and fellow free agent Brent Grimes had higher overall grades than Davis, according to PFF.
Davis, who will turn 26 in May, is still very much in his prime, so he’ll likely draw significant interest in March if he and the Colts can’t reach an agreement before free agency. However, as Holder wrote earlier this month, there’s mutual interest in working something out.
Panthers Tops In “Dead Money”
Thanks in large part to last season’s trade of Jon Beason, the Panthers have $17.8MM in “dead money,” more than any team in the league, according to ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert (full chart here). “Dead money” is defined as cap space consumed by players no longer on the roster, whether they retired, were released or traded. The numbers will fluctuate as rosters continue to evolve, but listed below are the five teams with at least $10MM worth of “dead money” at present time, including the players accounting for most of the sunk costs:
- Panthers ($17.8MM): Beason ($8MM), Jordan Gross ($5.6MM), James Anderson ($2.8MM)
- Bills ($12.1MM): Ryan Fitzpatrick ($8MM), Mark Anderson ($3MM), Rian Lindell ($1.38MM)
- Cowboys ($11.8MM): Jay Ratliff ($6.9MM), Nate Livings ($2.1MM), Marcus Spears ($1.4mM), Sean Lissemore ($1.2MM)
- Saints ($10.5MM): Roman Harper ($3.7MM), Jabari Greer ($2.7MM), Will Smith ($2.4MM), Garrett Hartley ($1MM)
- Cardinals ($10.1MM): Levi Brown ($6.5MM), Adam Snyder ($3MM)
At the other end of the spectrum, six teams have less than $1MM in “dead money”: Jets, Rams, Buccaneers, Colts, Seahawks and Bengals.
Colts Cut Tashard Choice, Jake McDonough
The Colts have cut two players, waiving defensive lineman Jake McDonough and releasing running back Tashard Choice, according to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter). McDonough must past through waivers before becoming a free agent, while Choice is immediately eligible for unrestricted free agency.
Choice, 29, joined the Colts after spending most of the 2013 season with the Bills. The ex-Cowboy had 46 combined carries for the two teams last season, totaling 170 yards on the ground. He figures to catch on with an NFL team searching for backfield depth.
As for McDonough, he signed in 2013 with the Jets and then the Colts as an undrafted free agent, but never saw action in an NFL game. If another team takes a flier on the defensive end for 2014, he’ll likely be hard-pressed to earn a roster spot.