Extra Points: Marks, Cutler, Ponder, Bucs
With his sack tonight, Jaguars defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks earned a fat $600K bonus, as Vito Stellino of The Florida Times-Union writes. Marks would already have earned the bonus if the league didn’t take away a sack he was credited with against Houston’s Ryan Fitzpatrick two weeks ago when the quarterback tripped and fell down and he was the first to touch him. However, he claims that he wasn’t upset about the ruling. More from around the National Football League..
- Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune looks at what might be next for Bears signal caller Jay Cutler. The Cardinals will probably bring back Carson Palmer in 2015, the Raiders have Derek Carr, and Rams tight ends coach Ron Turner would probably talk coach Jeff Fisher out of the idea. Ultimately, Biggs sees the Jets and Titans as the most likely destinations for the veteran.
- Matt Vensel of the Star-Tribune (video link) wonders if there will be a spot in the NFL for former Vikings starting quarterback Christian Ponder.
- Matt Bowen of the Chicago Tribune ran down the Bears‘ problems from top to bottom, from the front office to the locker room.
- Former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford has agreed in principle to become the new head coach of the CFL’s BC Lions, a source tells Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
- It seems likely that Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert will be staying on injured reserve for the rest of the year, according to Coley Harvey of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The athletic tight end has not practiced since Week 1.
- Signing linebacker K.J. Wright to a contract extension shows the Seahawks‘ commitment to their core players, writes Terry Blount of ESPN.com.
Minor Moves: Wednesday
Here are Wednesday’s minor roster moves from around the league, with the latest transactions added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- Cut yesterday by the Jets, defensive back Josh Thomas has already found a new home, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, who tweets that the Lions have claimed Thomas off waivers. Thomas will take the roster spot vacated by LaAdrian Waddle, who was placed on injured reserve today, as noted below.
- Safety Josh Bush is receiving a promotion to the Broncos‘ active roster from the club’s practice squad, reports Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that the club is also re-signing tight end Dominique Jones, who was let go earlier in the week. Denver, after making multiple roster moves yesterday, had two roster spots available, so no corresponding move is required to clear room.
Earlier updates:
- A pair of players will make the leap from the Jaguars‘ practice squad to their active roster, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, who tweets that quarterback Stephen Morris and safety Matt Daniels have been promoted. The Jags had one opening, and created another by placing linebacker Khairi Fortt on injured reserve with a hamstring issue.
- The Ravens are back up to 53 players on their roster after signing cornerback Chris Greenwood off the Vikings’ practice squad, tweets Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Greenwood is the latest player added to a secondary that has been decimated by injuries this season and lost Asa Jackson and Terrence Brooks in Week 15.
- The Lions are placing offensive lineman LaAdrian Waddle on the injured reserve list due to his partially torn ACL, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter).
- After waiving tackle J’Marcus Webb yesterday, the Vikings will fill the open roster spot by signing safety Ahmad Dixon from off their practice squad, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. The well-traveled Dixon has already spent time with the Vikes, Dolphins, and Bears since being drafted by the Cowboys in May.
- According to agent Howard Shatsky (Twitter link), his client, tight end Jerome Cunningham, has received a promotion from the Giants‘ practice squad to their active roster. The team has yet to officially confirm the call-up, but there’s an available roster spot at the moment, so it wouldn’t require a corresponding move.
- The Buccaneers, another team with an open roster spot, have signed defensive end Lawrence Sidbury as their 53rd man, the team announced today in a press release. The ex-Falcon, who was released by the Texans in August, replaces cornerback Crezdon Butler, whom the Bucs cut yesterday.
Jaguars, Roy Miller Agree To Extension
1:18pm: Miller received a bump in pay on his new deal, according to Mark Long of The Associated Press, who tweets that the four-year pact is worth about $16MM.
12:52pm: In a tweet congratulating his client on his contract extension, agent Mike McCartney confirms that the deal is for four years.
12:46pm: The Jaguars have agreed to a multiyear contract extension with defensive tackle Roy Miller, says John Oehser of Jaguars.com, who adds that Miler was “very emotional” talking about his new deal (Twitter links). Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union first reported that the two sides were closing in on a new contract agreement.
Miller, 27, was selected in the third round of the 2009 draft by the Buccaneers, and spent the first four years of his NFL career in Tampa Bay before signing with the Jags in 2013. Although he was slowed by a shoulder injury in his first season with Jacksonville, Miller has played better in his second year with the club after undergoing surgery on that troublesome shoulder in the offseason. The former Longhorn has recorded 31 tackles and a sack for the Jags this year, starting all 14 games and logging 492 total defensive snaps.
Miller’s previous contract with the Jags, which was set to expire at season’s end, was worth about $2.3MM annually, with just under $2MM guaranteed initially. His new pact, which appears to be a four-year contract, per Hays Carlyon of the Times-Union (Twitter link), will likely be in the same ballpark as far as annual salary goes, though we’ll have to wait for the official numbers to be sure.
According to O’Halloran, Miller will likely be the only Jacksonville free-agent-to-be who receives an extension from the club this year.
Jaguars Place Denard Robinson On IR
DECEMBER 16: The Jaguars have officially placed Robinson on injured reserve, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com. No corresponding move has been announced yet.
DECEMBER 10: Jaguars starting running back Denard Robinson has been ruled out for the final three games of the season, the team announced today (Twitter link). Robinson, who suffered a mid-foot sprain, will be placed on Jacksonville’s injured reserve list soon, tweets Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com.
Robinson, 24, established himself as the top option in the Jaguars’ backfield during the team’s Week 7 win over Cleveland, when he rushed 22 times for 127 yards and a touchdown. The sophomore’s carries have been on the decline in every week since then, but he had still been getting the ball more than any other Jacksonville running back, including Toby Gerhart, who was signed in the offseason with the expectation that he’d be the starter. For the year, Robinson totaled 582 yards and four touchdowns on 135 rushing attempts.
When Robinson officially lands on IR, the Jags will have a spot open on their 53-man roster to promote or sign a player. With Robinson out, Gerhart and Jordan Todman figure to be first in line for carries.
Update On Race For 2015 No. 1 Pick
Not much has changed in a week regarding the number one overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Four out of the five two-win temas projected to select in the top five next offseason going into Week 15 lost again today, with the lone winners being the New York Jets.
The Jets of course defeated the Titans, who themselves are vying for the number one pick. The Jets now have three wins and will probably miss out on a top-five pick, due to a difficult strength of schedule that had them choosing after the Buccaneers, Titans, and Jaguars despite finishing with the same win total.
With two games left, the draft order among non-playoff teams is beginning to take shape, and the top four selections are comprised of the two win teams currently sit as follows, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter):
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers; vs. GB, vs. NO
- Tennessee Titans; @ JAX, vs. IND
- Jacksonville Jaguars; vs. TEN, @ HOU
- Oakland Raiders; vs. BUF, @ DEN
One of those four is guaranteed to improve to 3-12 next week barring any ties, as the Titans will travel to Jacksonville to play the Jaguars on Thursday Night Football.
Washington is sitting at 3-11 much like the Jets, with Washington currently slotted to pick fifth overall. They could still jump the Jaguars, should Jacksonville beat the Titans at home on Thursday, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com.
Even if the Jets lose out, the only way they can jump back into the top five is with a win from Washington or the Raiders in these last two weeks.
AFC South Links: Jaguars, Wayne, Titans
Jaguars rookie Storm Johnson is finally going to get an opportunity to be the team’s featured running back. The seventh-rounder has been inactive for the past six weeks, but an injury to Denard Robinson has forced the 22-year-old into the lineup. Even without the injuries, the coaching staff was trying to find a way to promote their talented young player. Via Hays Carlyon of The Florida Times-Union:
“We were trying to find a way, regardless of the injury to D-Rob, to get Storm up,” said coach Gus Bradley. “I think it’s been based on the last couple weeks of practice. That’s what I’ve been talking to him about. It wasn’t because of injury that you’re getting this opportunity. We were talking to him about it anyway. He’s earned it.”
Johnson, who has compiled 64 rushing yards and two touchdowns this season, appreciated the recognition:
“It meant a lot that my hard work has been noticed. People have been watching me. It makes me want to work harder and do what I’ve been doing.”
Let’s see what else is happening in the AFC South…
- ESPN.com’s Mike Wells can’t envision the Colts letting go of Reggie Wayne at the conclusion of the season. Instead, he suggests the team should let the veteran make his own decision, since he’ll likely retire when his tenure with the Colts is finished. “This is what I am. This is what I believe in,” Wayne told Wells. “I’ve been here this long, I just don’t see myself anywhere else. This is where I want to finish. At the end of the day, when it’s all said and done, whenever that day is, I just want to be wearing blue and white. That’s just what I want to do.”
- Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com previews the Titans‘ tops needs in free agency, focusing on a pass-rushing linebacker and help on the offensive line. The writer adds that the team will not be afraid to spend.
- John Glennon of The Tennessean collects the opinions of various NFL pundits regarding the future of Zach Mettenberger. All of the analysts believe the rookie will certainly be in the running to be the Titans quarterback of the future. However, none would be surprised if the team pursued a veteran in free agency or another young player in the draft.
- Following news that offensive lineman Michael Oher was placed on the injured reserve, Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean tweets his belief that the tackle’s tenure with the Titans is over.
AFC South Notes: Wayne, Jaguars, Titans
As the Colts prepare to try to lock up the AFC South by defeating the Texans this coming Sunday, let’s round up a few Friday notes from out of the division….
- If Reggie Wayne retires after this season, he’ll stay retired, as Zak Keefer of the Indy Star writes. “Whatever the decision is, that will be the decision,” the Colts wide receiver said. “I won’t do the whole Brett Favre thing.“
- The Jaguars are in no rush to move running back Denard Robinson to injured reserve, even though his season is over, since any call-up would be inactive this Sunday anyway, says Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter links). Robinson will likely be placed on IR before next week’s game against the Titans, allowing Jacksonville to see if there are any positions requiring additions following Week 15’s game against the Ravens.
- There are no easy answers for the Titans, but declaring Zach Mettenberger the Titans’ No. 1 quarterback for 2015 based on his body of work would be foolish, opines David Climer of The Tennessean. Climer would rather see the Titans be open to the draft or the free agent pool, even if the offseason’s crop of available QBs is not all that appealing.
- With injuries to their top two right tackles, the Titans could wind up starting Terren Jones, who was signed last week off the Ravens’ practice squad, or Jamon Meredith, who signed as a free agent earlier this week, writes John Glennon of The Tennessean.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
AFC Links: Jaguars, Ravens, Clowney, Browns
Jaguars wide receiver Cecil Shorts will be a free agent at the end of the season, but the four-year veteran claims he’s only focused on his team’s final three games. However, when asked about the future, the 26-year-old gave some hints about where he’d like to play next year (via Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union):
“Do I want to be here? Yeah. We’ll deal with that when the off-season comes. But right now, we have three games left so I’m trying to focus on Baltimore.
“I really like what’s going on here. I like how [general manager] Dave [Caldwell] is building the team, I like what [owner] Shad [Khan] is putting into the team and I’m a huge fan of [coach] Gus [Bradley] and the coaching staff. This is a team I feel is going in the right direction and I would feel terrible if I end up somewhere else and this team [goes], ‘Boom [and gets better],’ because I’ve been through the rough times.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes from the AFC…
- Ravens linebacker Daryl Smith, who has spent the last two seasons in Baltimore, briefly reflected on his time with the Jaguars, where he spent the first nine seasons of his career. “I had a good nine years down there, and I’m in Baltimore now,” Smith said (via Wilson). “I’m definitely thankful I got an opportunity and I love being here. I’m happy here. At the end of the day, we’re here to win games. I’m just happy to have these games mean something at this time of the year.”
- Ravens president Dick Cass clarified his initial statement to Ray Rice following the early reports of domestic abuse. “I never suggested to Ray that he soften or tone down his description of what happened,” Cass said (via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun on Twitter). The president added that he told Rice to do three things: “tell the truth… don’t sugarcoat it…assume the league saw all the video.”
- Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole says there is “grave concern” within the Texans organization regarding rookie Jadeveon Clowney‘s injury. Cole estimates that the first-overall pick could be a productive defensive end for four to six years, but a long career at the position is “highly unlikely.”
- Browns defensive end John Hughes returned to practice today, but Wilson tweets that he hasn’t been activated from the injured reserve-designated to return list.
- The Saints weren’t the only team working out a trio of kickers today. According to Howard Balzer on Twitter, the Browns worked out Garrett Hartley, Zach Hocker and Nate Freese.
Bucs Now In Lead For 2015 No. 1 Pick
Week 14’s action provided plenty of intriguing developments in each conference’s playoff races, with the Panthers jumping back into the hunt for the NFC South, the Ravens and Steelers separating themselves from the pack of 7-5 AFC teams, and the Cardinals halting their two-game losing streak and hanging onto the top spot in the NFC.
On the other end of the spectrum, another interesting race is shaping up, with the Raiders’ 24-13 upset over the 49ers playing a key role. Oakland’s second victory of the season means that five teams are now tied at 2-11, in contention for the first overall pick in the 2015 draft. Because the tiebreaker for draft order is strength of schedule – teams that faced weaker schedules get the higher picks – the Raiders’ projected draft spot slipped from first to fifth after their win against San Francisco.
Per Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap, here’s how the top five picks for 2015 currently project, with the team’s strength of schedule percentage and remaining schedule both noted:
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (.480); @ CAR, vs. GB, vs. NO
- Tennessee Titans (.488); vs. NYJ, @ JAX, vs. IND
- Jacksonville Jaguars (.519); @ BAL, vs. TEN, @ HOU
- New York Jets (.549); @ TEN, vs. NE, @ MIA
- Oakland Raiders (.590); @ KC, vs. BUF, @ DEN
While those strength-of-schedule percentages will fluctuate a little as the final three weeks of games play out, the wide disparity between the Raiders’ SOS and that of the Bucs and Titans means that even if Oakland loses its final three games, the team will likely need the other four clubs on this list to win a game in order to have a shot at the No. 1 pick.
Meanwhile, although the Bucs are certainly in the driver’s seat for the first overall pick, with the current lead and a schedule that features three teams vying for playoff spots, a pair of games could go a long way toward determining the order at the top — the Titans play both the Jets and the Jaguars over the next two weeks. Barring a tie, that means that at least one two-win club will pick up a victory in Week 15 and Week 16. The Titans could either solidify a top-three pick or fall out of the race for the No. 1 choice entirely, depending on the outcomes of those contests.
The jockeying for postseason positioning at the top of the standings will receive most of the attention over the final three weeks of the season, and rightly so, but the jockeying for 2015 draft position shouldn’t be overlooked, particularly when multiple teams currently in the mix for a top pick will be looking for a long-term answer at the quarterback position.
Quarterback Notes: Brees, Kaepernick, Orton
With the Saints‘ salary cap situation in disarray, they could look to star quarterback Drew Brees for some relief going forward. Brees is signed through 2016, so a restructuring is unlikely, writes Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com. Having a $26.4MM cap hit in 2015 puts the team in a tough spot, and based off his play this season, Fitzgerald can’t see the team justifying an extension for him (via Twitter).
What the team is most likely hoping for is a deal similar to the one Tom Brady took with the Patriots, according to Fitzgerald (via Twitter). He described the contract as an “off into the sunset” type of deal, presumably where Brees would take a lower annual salary freeing the team up to spend elsewhere.
Here are a few other notes on quarterback contracts that seem impactful:
- With the 49ers likely to miss the playoffs after their loss to the Raiders, Colin Kaepernick will have a de-escalator in his contract that will cost him $2MM in 2015, reports Joel Corry of CBS Sports (via Twitter). He was set to make $12.4MM next season, but will see that figure drop to $10.4MM without a playoff appearance.
- As Kyle Orton has likely failed to lead the Bills to the playoffs, the team could turn back to EJ Manuel this season or next. If the team went with Manuel in 2015, Orton wouldn’t be an expensive backup. He can void his deal, but if he doesn’t he will only count $1.5MM in guaranteed money against the cap next season, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- For teams still looking to draft a quarterback this offseason, the Raiders’ victory over the 49ers has shaken up the potential draft order. With three games to go, the Buccaneers currently hold the top pick, based on record and strength of schedule, according to Ryan McCrystal of DraftAce.com (via Twitter). Following them are the Titans, Jaguars, Jets, and Raiders, respectively.