Adrian Peterson Rumors: Tuesday
Adrian Peterson has been PFR’s most-mentioned player since the 2014 regular season began, but now that he’s been reinstated – and with the draft only nine days away – we could finally be headed toward some sort of resolution in his saga with the Vikings. Here are Tuesday’s updates and rumors on the former MVP:
- Yesterday, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that if the Vikings don’t trade Peterson before or during next week’s draft, a deal isn’t expected to happen. Today, Tomasson updated his report to note that his source named six potential suitors in the mix for the running back: The Cardinals, Falcons, Cowboys, Jaguars, Chargers, and Buccaneers. The Raiders, who are said to have some interest, weren’t on the list.
- The Cowboys have been cited as the most likely Peterson suitor since trade rumors first began surfacing, but EVP/COO Stephen Jones told 105.3 FM in Dallas today that he doesn’t envision the club “using any picks to trade for veteran players” (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com).
- Asked today about Peterson, Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley said he and GM David Caldwell haven’t had a serious conversation about making a play for the Vikings back (Twitter link via John Oehser of Jaguars.com).
Extra Points: Daniels, Allen, Bucs, Eagles
Packers defensive end Mike Daniels is entering a contract year but he’s not thinking too hard about his financial future, as Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel writes.
“All of that is just a distraction,” Daniels said. “That’s just a distraction. I’m here to play football. I’m here to get better. I’m here to watch film, relearn the defense, get bigger, faster, stronger. All that stuff, that’s nothing but a huge distraction. The instant people start putting a focus on something like that, that’s when their play starts to suffer. And I don’t have time for my play to suffer.”
Daniels played in 63.8% of the defensive snaps last season and has 76 tackles and 14 sacks across three seasons. Here’s more from around the NFL..
- After checking in for the Colts‘ first day of offseason conditions, tight end Dwayne Allen is heading back to Arizona to work out on his own there, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Rapoport notes that Allen, who is entering a contract year, doesn’t expect to discuss a new deal with the club until after the season.
- Buccaneers GM Lovie Smith says that he and GM Jason Licht are in “total agreement” as to who the team should draft, Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com tweets.
- Linebacker Mychal Kendricks and running back Chris Polk were not present for the start of the Eagles‘ spring workouts, sources tell Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (on Twitter). Polk has yet to sign his low-level restricted free agent tender offer and therefore cannot partake in activities yet. Kendricks, meanwhile, is entering the final year of his rookie deal.
- Dion Jordan was not present for the Dolphins‘ voluntary workouts today and it’s not immediately clear why, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets. The defensive end is under contract through 2016 with cap numbers of $5.6MM and $6.5MM in each of the next two seasons.
- The Dolphins discussed trading for Matt Barkley before ultimately signing Josh Freeman, according to Dianna Marie Russini of NBC4 (on Twitter). That deliberation is what kept the Eagles from signing Tim Tebow even sooner.
- Paul Posluszny‘s 2015 cap number with the Jaguars should go from $9.5M to $6.8MM with his renegotiated three-year deal, according to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
- Toledo safety Jordan Haden, the younger brother of Pro Bowler Joe Haden, has decided not to pursue an NFL career, his father tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The younger Haden drew interest from nine NFL teams, but has elected to work for the family business after sustaining a number of injuries during his college career.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Draft Visits: Jets, Jags, Steelers, Lions
Draft day is only a week and a half away, but teams are still bringing in prospects for visits and working them out, as they try to compile as much information as possible on this year’s draft class. Here are a few Monday updates on the latest visits and workouts:
- Leonard Williams, DL (USC); Dante Fowler Jr., DE/OLB (Florida): Making their previously-reported visits to the Jets this week, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- Denzel Perryman, LB (Miami): Visiting the Jaguars today, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
- Darryl Roberts, CB (Marshall); Bryce Callahan, CB (Rice); Steven Nelson, CB (Oregon State): All visiting the Steelers today, according to Wilson (Twitter link).
- Jamison Crowder, WR (Duke): Has had private workouts with Panthers, Buccaneers, and Texans, per Wilson.
- Carl Davis, DT (Iowa): Visiting the Lions today, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter).
- David Johnson, RB (Northern Iowa): Visiting the Falcons today, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- Marcus Hardison, DL (Arizona State): Visiting the Bengals today and generating a lot of interest around the league, per Gil Brandt of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- Bud Sasser, WR (Missouri): Visiting the Broncos today, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post.
Pauline’s Latest: Mariota, Browns, Rams
With just 10 days left until the 2015 NFL draft gets underway, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net has plenty of updates for us this morning, including news on visits, workouts, and possible risers and fallers. Here’s Pauline’s latest:
- According to Pauline, trade rumors involving teams looking to move up for Marcus Mariota should “pick up intensity” in the next week or so. Pauline hears the Browns may be the frontrunners for the Oregon quarterback, but the Titans asked Cleveland for a second-round pick in addition to the 12th and 19th picks, and the Browns balked. Cleveland may be willing to part with its two first-rounders to move up to No. 2, but wouldn’t want to give up its second-rounder too.
- The Rams love Mississippi State linebacker Benardrick McKinney, but No. 10 would be too high for him. Per Pauline, many around the league believe that St. Louis could trade down in the first round or trade up from the second round in order to try to land McKinney.
- McKinney has also been linked to the Broncos, who are eyeing TCU linebacker Paul Dawson as well.
- A number of teams have red-flagged Boise State running back Jay Ajayi over a knee injury, according to Pauline.
- The domestic violence charges against Frank Clark were reduced – the Michigan defensive end accepted a plea deal – and now Pauline says Clark will likely be drafted higher than most expect, likely within the top 125 picks.
- A pair of Utah offensive linemen, Junior Salt and Jeremiah Poutasi, are working out today for the Panthers, per Pauline (via Twitter).
- The Patriots worked out UConn defensive lineman B.J. McBryde last week, tweets Pauline.
- The Jaguars hosted Monmouth wide receiver/tight end Neal Sterling for a pre-draft visit last week, according to Pauline (via Twitter).
Jaguars, Marcedes Lewis Rework Contract
MONDAY, 8:22am: According to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (all Twitter links), Lewis agreed to reduce his salary for 2015 from $6.8MM to $2.65MM, which consists of a $2MM base salary ($500K guaranteed), a $250K signing bonus, and $400K in per-game roster bonuses.
Lewis can earn a maximum of $3MM of that lost salary back through not-likely-to-be-earned playing time incentives, and his cap number is now $3.85MM, creating $4.4MM in extra room for the Jags.
SATURDAY, 12:55pm: After the Jaguars spent big money to secure Julius Thomas, there was speculation that tight end Marcedes Lewis could be let go. It appears the veteran is staying put, as Ryan O’Halloran of Jacksonville.com reports that the two sides have restructured the final year of Lewis’ contract. The 30-year-old is finishing up a five-year, $35MM contract signed in 2011.
Lewis’ cap hit for this upcoming season was at $8.2MM, and the team would have been left with $1.4MM in dead money if they chose to cut him prior to June 1st. O’Halloran suggests that the restructuring could make Lewis a more attractive trade asset, but his source indicated that the tight end would remain in Jacksonville through the 2015 season.
Lewis has struggled greatly since receiving that big contract in 2011. He rated as the 10th best tight end in the NFL in 2011, and fifth in 2012, before falling off a cliff and coming in at 30th and 48th the past two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Much of that fall in rankings is due to the decline in his ability as a run blocker, where he was among the best in the league for his career before grading out negatively in 2013 and 2014.
Of course, the reason he got that contract in the first place wasn’t for his excellent blocking skills. In 2010, in addition to being one of the best blocking tight ends in the league he caught double digit touchdowns to establish himself as a force at the position. He caught 10 touchdowns over the next four seasons combined. He will now be joined with incoming talent Thomas, in hopes together they can provide Blake Bortles huge weapons in the middle of the field.
Extra Points: Peterson, Johnson, Jaguars
The Vikings‘ reported asking price of a second-round pick and the inclusion of an additional late-rounder for Adrian Peterson may not be all the team covets here. A first-round pick and a staring-caliber cornerback appears to be the Vikings’ latest demand in order to part with their disgruntled franchise performer, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
Signed to the highest-paying contract for any running back and now 30, Peterson’s lack of leverage beyond a serious holdout, which won’t reach an elevated threat level until minicamp-related fines ensue in mid-June, allows his current team to play hardball here.
Let’s look at some of the week’s final news here …
- Minnesota could look to supplement its backfield as early as the third round in this year’s draft, writes Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Vensel expects Peterson and the Vikings to eventually find common ground. Despite the roster housing elusive ex-quarterback Jerick McKinnon and touchdown-producer Matt Asiata, another back would shuttle in and vie for the No. 2 job in that scenario.
- The most notable veteran running back remaining in free agency, Chris Johnson is training for a potential audition with a team with a bullet still inside his body, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
- Miami wide receiver Phillip Dorsett will pay a visit to the Eagles‘ facilities Monday, reports Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Listed as a Day 2 pick in our Rob DiRe’s analysis of this class’ wide receivers, Dorsett ran two sub-4.3-second 40-yard dash times at the Hurricanes’ pro day recently and visited the Titans previously.
- Also from Wilson: the Browns will meet with West Georgia defensive lineman Tory Slater this week. The former high school wideout-turned-Division II defensive lineman already met with the Falcons, 49ers and Seahawks.
- Blake Bortles‘ window at establishing himself will include the next two seasons, writes the Florida Times-Union’s Hays Carlyon. The Jaguars‘ No. 3 overall pick in 2014 will halt the team from using the same selection on a quarterback — or drafting one altogether — this year. But the Jags’ coaching staff is watching and discussing the top quarterbacks in the draft should either Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota fall past the top two slots and an antsy team eyes a trade into Jacksonville’s slot.
- OverTheCap’s Zack Moore sees the market for wide receivers becoming more reasonable despite stars like Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas and A.J. Green set for new deals soon. In a lengthy piece, the salary cap website writer examines how this year’s contracts for Randall Cobb and Jeremy Maclin were more team-friendly than recent deals for Larry Fitzgerald, Mike Wallace and Vincent Jackson, and that teams can be more firm in their stances due to a growing influx of cheaper talent ready to contribute in each draft class.
- Philly.com’s Bob Brookover writes Tim Tebow‘s persistence has little chance to catapult him back onto a 53-man roster come September.
AFC Links: Dolphins, Robinson, Steelers
A quest to bring another receiver to Miami to join Kenny Stills and Jarvis Landry will conclude soon, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. The two receiving prospects at the top of the Dolphins‘ list for their No. 14 selection are DeVante Parker and Breshad Perriman, the Nos. 8 and 20 overall talents available in the draft, according to Scouts Inc.
Arizona State’s Jaelen Strong serves as an option for the Fins in a trade-down scenario, notes Jackson, with Sammie Coates (Auburn), Phillip Dorsett (Miami) and Devin Smith (Ohio State) potentially there if the team addresses another need in Round 1. The Dolphins brought in each of the latter trio for visits.
Smith averaged 28.2 yards per reception last season, while Mel Kiper rates Dorsett as one of the class’ safest bets. Jackson also places Dorial Green-Beckham among this contingent who could be on the board for Miami at No. 47, with Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller reporting the Dolphins have “fallen in love” with the boom-or-bust prospect. It’s unlikely the elite-tools prospect falls that far. Our Rob DiRe lists DGB among first-round possibilities in his recent look at the 2015 class’ wideouts.
The Dolphins have worked out late-round hopefuls R.J. Harris and Harold Spears (New Hampshire), and Zach D’Orazio (Akron), per Jackson.
Elsewhere in the AFC as the week winds down …
- The Steelers‘ depth chart suggests they need cornerback help following Ike Taylor‘s retirement — their third defensive starter to leave the league in two months behind Jason Worilds and Troy Polamalu — but their recent history dictates they may gamble on a late-round prospect, writes Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Kiper has Pittsburgh taking Wake Forest corner Kevin Johnson at No. 22 (subscription required), but the team hasn’t expended its top pick on a corner since Chad Scott in 1997 and hasn’t used a second-rounder at the position since Bryant McFadden in 2005. Steelers GM Kevin Colbert, whose team currently employs Cortez Allen and William Gay atop its figurative offseason depth chart at corner, attributed this drought to the team’s usual draft slot in the late first round coming after the top corners are usually off the board. “In Pittsburgh’s case, for years they didn’t have really good corners,” NFL.com’s Charley Casserly told Adamski. “That defense was won with the front seven.”
- A running back need persists in Jacksonville after Toby Gerhart‘s three-year pact last spring sputtered from the start, but the Jaguars still have the somewhat surprising contributions from Denard Robinson to evaluate from last year, offers Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Robinson’s work from Week 7 until he broke his foot in December — 582 rushing yards — helped elevate the Jags’ weak rushing attacks the past few years to a passable level: 21st in total ground gains last season.
- Four-decade NFL coaching veteran Chris Palmer will not have a role in coaching the Bills‘ quarterbacks this year, writes Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News, with new offensive coordinator Greg Roman and QBs coach David Lee handling that. Palmer, 65, whose title is senior offensive assistant, will help coach the wideouts and tight ends this offseason after following Roman from San Francisco to Buffalo.
Jaguars Rumors: Lewis, Brown, Posluszny
In a slightly unexpected move, the Jaguars restructured Marcedes Lewis‘ contract and for now look to place the longtime starter behind prized acquisition Julius Thomas on the depth chart.
The Jags, however, might be inclined to use Lewis as a trading chip for a tight end-needy team during the season, with the veteran set to carry a lower cap number, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Although precise terms of Lewis’ new 2015 figure are not yet available, he won’t carry the gaudy $8.2MM, which was the sixth-highest figure in the league, and another team wouldn’t be on the hook for any payments after 2015, reports O’Halloran.
Thomas’ $10.3MM remains the most a team will pay a tight end this season.
Jacksonville executed this strategy two years ago when it dealt left tackle Eugene Monroe to the Ravens for fourth- and fifth-round picks in last year’s draft. The Jags won’t be able to extract that kind of return for the descending Lewis, who will be 31 this year, but a late-round pick wouldn’t be out of the question once injuries are factored into the in-season equation.
Here is some additional news coming out of north Florida on Saturday night.
- Recently extended linebacker Paul Posluszny remains below his playing weight after recovering from offseason chest surgery, reports O’Halloran. Currently at 235 with hopes of returning to the 240-pound frame at which he normally plays, Posluszny weighed barely 220 pounds earlier this offseason thanks to the surgery-induced inactivity.
- Despite signing Sergio Brown last month, the Jaguars remain interested in bolstering their safety corps, writes Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union. Brown’s made just 11 starts in five seasons and was the Jags’ fallback option after Devin McCourty opted to stay with the Patriots. With a weak safety class, Brown will probably have to be relied upon here, with holes at wideout, running back and defensive line outweighing the need on the back end, Carlyon notes. Byron Jones, Eric Rowe and P.J. Williams are three players Carlyon identified as those who could move from cornerback to safety, as McCourty did. “For me, it’s been going back a few years now, it’s been the hardest position for me to evaluate,” NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah told Carlyon. “You have to watch more tape on that position than any other because of the spread offense and the college game.”
- The Jags are expected to focus their wideout pursuit on a slot receiver first, reports O’Halloran. Allen Hurns and Marqise Lee vacillated between inside and outside work last season as rookies, while Ace Sanders played there exclusively, albeit in only 60 snaps. None received a positive grade, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required).
- Electing to exhaust their prospect tours in bulk, the Jags have already used 25 of their 30 allowed visits, according to O’Halloran. Ten prospects trekked to the Jaguars’ facilities on April 7 and April 8, respectively.
Reaction To Stefen Wisniewski Signing
The Jaguars came to terms with one of the more interesting free agents of this offseason in Stefen Wisniewski, signing the former Raider to a one-year deal worth $2.5MM.
Here is some reaction from around the league about Wisniewski’s value, interest, and NFL future:
- Wisniewski also visited with the Patriots, Seahawks, Titans, and Washington in free agency, writes Ryan O’Halloran of Jacksonville.com.
- One reason the Seahawks might have been hesitant to pursue Wisniewski more adamantly is that the center would likely cost a compensatory draft pick, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter).
- Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News believed the Vikings had some interest in Wisniewski, but the team never called to pursue him. (via Twitter).
- Many Raiders fan were hoping the team could re-sign Wisniewski to play guard next to free agent acquisition Rodney Hudson, but neither the player nor team were interested in that arrangement, according to Bill Williamson of ESPN (via Twitter). Williamson believes the coaching staff did not think very highly of him as a player (via Twitter). He adds that Wisniewski could be added to a long list of recent Raider draft picks to not make it to their second contract in Oakland (via Twitter).
- The one-year deal will allow Wisniewski to prove his value before reaching free agency again next offseason, where he could command a larger contract, writes Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 (via Twitter).
Jaguars Sign Stefen Wisniewski
12:30pm: The organization has announced the signing, with general manager Dave Caldwell releasing a statement (via Ryan O’Halloran of Jacksonville.com):
“We had the opportunity to spend time with Stefen earlier this month and remained in contact with him with the hopes of getting a deal done. We are excited to get him on board before we officially start our offseason conditioning program next week. He gives us great position flexibility along our offensive line as he has started at both center and guard during his career. He has a familiarity with our offensive system and brings a lot of experience to our offensive line room.”
12:13pm: After visiting numerous teams this offseason, Stefen Wisniewski has finally found a home. According to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), the Jaguars have inked the center to a one-year deal. The deal is worth $2.5MM, according to Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo (via Twitter).
Wisniewski had spent his entire four-year career with the Raiders, starting 61 games. The Penn State product missed only three games in those four seasons, and he managed to play 16 games in 2014 in spite of a torn labrum. The injury resulted in Wisniewski undergoing surgery this offseason, and it also provided a possible explanation for the player remaining unsigned for so long.
Pro Football Focus (subscription required) gave Wisniewski high marks for his performance during the 2012 and 2013 seasons, as the center ranked in the top-20 among eligible center candidates. He received his first negative rating in 2014, but he still ranked 22nd among 41 candidates.
The 26-year-old had attracted attention from many teams, including the Titans, Seahawks, Patriots and Washington. The Jaguars had been rumored to be eyeing the former second-round pick, but reports yesterday suggested the organization hadn’t reached out to the center. He was listed as the 39th best free agent in our ranking of the top 50 free agents.