2017 Proven Performance Escalators
According to the NFL’s contractual bargaining agreement, players drafted in rounds three though seven are entitled to raises during the fourth year of their respective rookie contracts. The pay bumps are tied to playing time — a player must have played in 35% of his team’s offensive or defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons, or averaged 35% playing time cumulatively during that period.
If one of these thresholds is met, the player’s salary is elevated to the level of that year’s lowest restricted free agent tender — that figure should be around $1.8MM in 2017. Players selected in the first or second round, undrafted free agents, and kickers/punters are ineligible for the proven performance escalator.
Here are the players who will see their salary rise in 2017 courtesy of the proven performance escalator:
49ers: Aaron Lynch, LB; Marcus Martin, OL
Bears: Charles Leno, T; Will Sutton, DT
Bengals: Russell Bodine, C
Bills: Preston Brown, LB; Seantrel Henderson, T
Broncos: Michael Schofield, OL
Browns: Christian Kirksey, LB
Buccaneers: Kevin Pamphile, G
Cardinals: John Brown, WR
Chiefs: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, G; Zach Fulton, G; Phillip Gaines, CB
Colts: Donte Moncrief, WR
Cowboys: Anthony Hitchens, LB
Falcons: Devonta Freeman, RB
Giants: Devon Kennard, LB
Jaguars: Aaron Colvin, CB; Brandon Linder, G; Telvin Smith, LB
Lions: Nevin Lawson, CB; Travis Swanson, C
Packers: Corey Linsley, C; Richard Rodgers, TE
Panthers: Tre Boston, S; Trai Turner, G
Raiders: T.J. Carrie, CB; Justin Ellis, DT; Gabe Jackson, G
Rams: Maurice Alexander, S; E.J. Gaines, CB
Redskins: Bashaud Breeland, CB; Spencer Long, G; Morgan Moses, T
Texans: C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE; Andre Hal, S
Titans: DaQuan Jones, DL; Avery Williamson, LB
Vikings: Shamar Stephen, DT
Jaguars Coaching Notes: Nolan, Hobby
- Speaking of San Francisco, the Jaguars plan to interview Mike Nolan for their vacant linebackers coach position, reports Sporting News’ Alex Marvez (Twitter link). Nolan, 57, is best known for serving as San Fran’s head coach from 2005-08, during which the team went just 18-37. He also has extensive experience as an assistant, having worked as a defensive coordinator for seven different clubs. Now an analyst, Nolan last served as a linebackers coach with the Chargers in 2015.
- The Jaguars will add Clemson assistant Marion Hobby to their staff, likely as the defensive line coach, per Marvez (Twitter link). Hobby has been the co-defensive coordinator and defensive ends coach at Clemson since 2011, and is coming off a national championship-winning season with the Tigers.
Chip Kelly Assuming He'll Get Jaguars OC Gig
However, Bradley isn’t in a rush to sign a deal. The former Jaguars coach is waiting to see whether the 49ers will hire Seahawks offensive line/assistant head coach Tom Cable as their head coach. The duo coached together in Seattle from 2011 through 2012, and we can assume that Bradley would be interested in joining Cable’s 49ers staff. Alex Marvez of the Sporting News reports (via Twitter) that Bradley is a “top choice” for Cable’s hypothetical staff.
- Chip Kelly headed into his interview with the Jaguars believing he’d get offered the offensive coordinator position, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). In fact, the former Eagles and 49ers head coach already has some “assistant hires” ready to go. Rapoport notes that there’s a good chance Kelly gets the gig.
- The Broncos have added John Benton to their coaching staff as an assistant offensive line coach, reports Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post. Benton has coached in the NFL for 13 years, and he spent last season working for the Jaguars.
Jaguars Interviewing Chip Kelly For OC Role
Chip Kelly is in Jacksonville today interviewing for the team’s offensive coordinator position, Hays Carlyon of 1010XL reports (on Twitter). The Jaguars are interviewing multiple OC candidates, with Nathaniel Hackett expected to receive one as well, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
This is a second summit between the Jaguars and Kelly. Before taking the interim tag off of Doug Marrone‘s head coach title, the Jags interviewed Kelly for that position. So, there seems to be a lot of interest on the Jags’ part in the twice-fired head coach. Kelly has not interviewed for a job with another team this offseason.
The Jaguars agreed to retain Hackett, who took over the OC job from Greg Olson after the team fired Olson during the season. However, it appears Hackett will have to vie with other candidates to become the full-time Jags OC. This marks the first official interview the Jaguars have conducted for the OC job.
Despite being fired after only one season with the 49ers, Kelly did help Colin Kaepernick have a better season than he did in 2015. Although, the coach’s career arc has pointed downhill since his debut campaign with the Eagles that ended in the playoffs. But the Jaguars saw Blake Bortles regress this season and could be looking for an unorthodox voice to help the former No. 3 overall pick. Kelly, who was eyeing NFL OC jobs shortly after being fired, has evidently piqued the revamped Jags decision-making group’s curiosity.
New Jaguars executive Tom Coughlin attempted to hire Kelly as an offensive assistant before he took the job at Oregon, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com points out (on Twitter). Kelly’s Eagles went 4-1 against Coughlin’s Giants.
Jaguars Interviewed Chip Kelly For HC Position
Despite reports that the Jaguars would not interview Chip Kelly for their vacant head coaching position, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that Jacksonville did indeed interview Kelly before ultimately hiring Doug Marrone last week.
Kelly’s NFL coaching career had a promising start in Philadelphia before he took more control of personnel decisions, a move that ultimately proved to be his undoing. He was subsequently hired to be the 49ers’ head coach last year, but his lone season in the Bay Area was a catastrophe, as the 49ers stumbled to a 2-14 record. Kelly and GM Trent Baalke both received their walking papers on January 1.
Given the disappointing ends to his stints in Philadelphia and San Francisco, it is possible that the 53-year-old Kelly’s days as an NFL coach are over. Kelly parlayed a 46-7 stretch at Oregon from 2009-12 into the Eagles’ head coaching job, and he would surely be welcomed with open arms back into the college ranks. However, he denied interest in a potential return to the collegiate game in October, and he recently expressed his desire to become an offensive coordinator (presumably in the NFL).
It is difficult to see that happening, though, as Kelly’s fast-paced offense was a major part of the problem in San Francisco, and despite his initial success, it does not appear as if his style is well-suited to the pros. Nonetheless, it is interesting to note that at least one professional team considered giving him yet another shot at running the show.
Jaguars Hire Tyrone Wheatley
- Former Michigan running backs coach Tyrone Wheatley is joining the Jaguars staff, likely in the same capacity, tweets Alex Marvez of SiriusXM NFL Radio. Jacksonville has already announced that several members of their offensive coaching staff — including play-caller Nathaniel Hackett — will remain in place under new head coach Doug Marrone, but the club has been silent of the fate of current RBs coach Kelly Skipper. Wheatley, who was under consideration for Western Michigan’s head coaching job, last coached in the NFL from 2013-14 with the Bills.
Jaguars Hire Perry Fewell As DBs Coach
- Tom Coughlin has thus far either shown faith in the existing Jaguars assistants or brought in former Giants coaches in his first week in Jacksonville. The newly hired executive went in the latter direction on Saturday, hiring former Giants DC Perry Fewell to coach the Jags’ defensive backs, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union reports (on Twitter). This will mark Fewell’s second stay in this role. His first NFL coaching gig came as the Jags’ secondary coach under Coughlin from 1998-2002. The 54-year-old coach served as the Redskins’ DBs boss during the past two seasons. Fewell was Coughlin’s DC from 2010-14, serving as the coach whose Super Bowl champion 2011 team unveiled its famous NASCAR package. But Fewell will serve under retained DC Todd Wash and work a sixth stint as a secondary coach.
Jaguars Notes: Coughlin, Bortles, Flaherty
While it could have been assumed newly hired Jaguars executive VP Tom Coughlin would have final say over the team’s 53-man roster, no more assumptions are required. The veteran coach and first-time exec will have the final say on the 2017 roster, stripping some power from GM Dave Caldwell, owner Shad Khan said. Caldwell had been in charge of the Jacksonville football operations since 2013.
Coughlin interviewed for the Jags’ HC position but said he prefers the VP job he acquired instead. The 70-year-old provided two of his top coaching choices to Khan, and Doug Marrone was one of those two. Khan added that the decision “wasn’t close” between Marrone and the other coaches the team interviewed during this hiring process.
In addition to Coughlin and Marrone, the Jags also met with Josh McDaniels, Kyle Shanahan, Mike Smith and Harold Goodwin. Marrone is 16-18 in two-plus years as a head coach.
Here’s the latest coming out of Jacksonville.
- The Jaguars hired Pat Flaherty to become their offensive line coach, the team announced today. Flaherty worked under Coughlin in each of his 12 seasons as the Giants’ HC, instructing the Giants’ offensive linemen from 2004-15. The 60-year-old Flaherty spent this past season as the OL coach for the 49ers.
- During the Jags’ time without a full-time head coach, the word coming down from the front office was one of hesitancy regarding Blake Bortles, with Caldwell saying the next coach would not have to commit to the former No. 3 overall pick. But Coughlin shut down notions the team will attempt to replace Bortles this offseason. “Blake Bortles is our quarterback,” Coughlin said, via Lindsay Jones of USA Today. Marrone’s belief in Bortles impacted the hiring decision. Bortles’ quarterback rating plummeted from 88.2 to 78.8 this season, but it’s safe to assume after this declaration the Jags are planning to pick up his fifth-year option.
- The Jaguars will have extensive sideline continuity despite finishing the season 3-13, retaining both coordinators in Nethanial Hackett (offense) and Todd Wash (defense).
- Jacksonville brought over Denver special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis to work in the same capacity.
Todd Wash To Continue As Jags’ D-Coordinator
New Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone cleared out most of the team’s defensive staff earlier this week, but he elected to retain coordinator Todd Wash. It was unclear, though, whether Wash would continue in the same role. It’s now official that he will once again serve as the Jaguars’ defensive coordinator in 2017, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.
The 48-year-old Wash has been in Jacksonville since 2013, though this past season was his first as its coordinator. The unit was mostly impressive on his watch, finishing sixth in the NFL in yardage, 13th in DVOA and 25th in scoring. Those were across-the-board improvements for the Jags, who ranked 24th, 26th and 31st, respectively, in those categories under Wash’s predecessor, Bob Babich, in 2015.
Marrone’s decision to keep Wash in a prominent position comes on the heels of a continuity-geared move to retain offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. Now that he knows his status for next season, Wash will get to work on filling out his staff, including finding new defensive line, linebackers and defensive backs coaches, as O’Halloran notes (Twitter link).
Jaguars Hire Joe DeCamillis As ST Coordinator
- The Jaguars have hired Joe DeCamillis as their new special teams coordinator, reports Mike Klis of 9News in Denver (via Twitter). DeCamillis, 51, spent the past two seasons serving in the same role with the Broncos, and he previously served as coordinator for the Bears and Cowboys. This will be a reunion of sorts for DeCamillis, who served as a special teams coach with the Jaguars from 2007 through 2008.
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