Extra Points: Bengals, Sam, Jets, Bortles
In assessing the likelihood of the Bengals‘ free agents returning to the team, Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer suggests that defensive end Michael Johnson is likely to end up elsewhere this spring. After franchising Johnson last year, the Bengals could choose to place the franchise tag on their defensive end again this time around, but Dehner believes that’s the only scenario in which he returns to Cincinnati. According to Dehner, the club will likely be unwilling to shell out big bucks for another defensive lineman with Geno Atkins already on a lucrative, long-term deal.
Here’s more from around the NFL, with just over a month remaining until 2014’s free agent period:
- The success of teams with low-salary quarterbacks like the Seahawks and 49ers has prompted a discussion on whether clubs with solid veteran QBs ought to let them walk in free agency if the price gets too high. However, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com dismisses such thinking, arguing that the NFL’s cap structure ensures that even the more highly-paid signal-callers remain undervalued.
- Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal reports (via Twitter) that defensive end prospect Michael Sam, who publicly came out as gay yesterday, left The Novo Agency and signed with new NFL agents Cameron Weiss and Joe Barkett of Empire Athletes.
- Mullen also reports (via Twitter) that free-agent-to-be Emmanuel Sanders has left agent Jordan Woy.
- Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com takes a look at one of the Jets’ top priorities this offseason: Wide receiver. In Cimini’s view, the club would be wise to avoid paying top dollar for Eric Decker, and instead should focus on a $5-7MM free agent, who can be slotted alongside a receiver picked in the draft. Cimini identifies potential Seahawks cap casualty Sidney Rice as a possible target for New York.
- We learned earlier today that Henoc Muamba received a $107K guarantee from the Colts on his futures contract, the largest guarantee for that type of deal so far this offseason. According to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter), the second-largest guarantee for a player on a futures deal belongs to safety Sherrod Martin ($100K), who signed with the Jaguars.
- Top QB prospect Blake Bortles is preparing to do everything, including throw, at this month’s scouting combine, writes Paul Tenorio of the Orlando Sentinel.
AFC South Links: Jaguars, Colts, Mitchell
Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com believes the Jaguars will select defensive end Jadeveon Clowney with the third overall selection, adding that while quarterback remains an obvious need, internal team sources may believe that none of the top QB prospects are ready to start from day one. Clowney certainly presents a safe option, and would allow the Jaguars to wait until a later round to select a quarterback, ostensibly to pair with a veteran like Chad Henne. DiRocco’s opinion meshes with comments made by Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell, who indicated the team would not be beholden to drafting a quarterback with the third pick.
- Regarding Caldwell’s indication that the team has an internal consensus of the top five players available, DiRocco believes those players to be Clowney, Teddy Bridgewater, Anthony Barr, Khalil Mack, and one of Johnny Manziel or Blake Bortles.
- Defensive end Michael Johnson is an option for the Jaguars as they look to bolster their defensive line.
- The notion that the Colts’ hiring of Rob Chudzinkski is indicative of offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton’s performance last season is only partially true, according to Mike Wells of ESPN.com. While Wells believes the hire is more related to Chudzinski’s familiarity with Chuck Pagano, there is do denying that Hamilton’s run-heavy play-calling was widely panned last season.
- Colts running back Donald Brown is among the best bargains available at the position this offseason, according to OverTheCap.com.
- Defensive tackle Earl Mitchell will likely not be re-signed by the Texans, as they aim to find a more traditional 3-4 nose tackle, according to Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com.
Extra Points: Roseman, Mack, Ponder
After the infamous failures of the Eagles’ “Dream Team” several seasons ago, GM Howie Roseman is trying to lead his team away from its big-spending traditions, writes Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com. Even before the “Dream Team” was assembled, the Eagles handed sizable contracts to Terrell Owens, Stacy Andrews, Asante Samuel, and many others besides. This year, though, Roseman does not plan to attack the team’s weaknesses by throwing money at the current crop of top free agents.
For instance, safeties T.J. Ward and Jairus Byrd would certainly go a long way towards addressing Philadelphia’s deficiencies in the middle of its defense. However, those players will command hefty contracts, and Roseman believes it is becoming more and more difficult to justify those types of deals.
Roseman indicated he would be “open” to a lucrative, long-term deal for a free agent who was young enough, who filled a need, and who played at a very high level. However, he says:
“You see there are fewer and fewer of those players available in free agency, so what happens is good players get great player money, pretty good players get really good player money, and then it throws around the whole structure of your roster.”
As a result, Roseman is attempting to build through the draft and sign those free agents who fit the city’s blue-collar identity rather than assembling a fantasy collection of big names.
Other news from around the league:
- Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida-TImes Union thinks the Jaguars should target free agent C Alex Mack given the lack of experience that their in-house options have. Although it has been well-established that Mack stands to become the highest-paid center in the league, ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco says the Jags have enough room to make such a move. O’Halloran adds that, if Jacksonville were to land Mack, it could move one of those inexperienced internal candidates to left guard.
- DiRocco says Jacksonville could also settle for a cheaper option at center like Ryan Wendell, and interior offensive linemen the team could target in the draft include Marcus Martin, Russell Bodine, and Trai Turner.
- Although there has been plenty of speculation as to how the Vikings will address their quarterback situation this offseason–thereby implying that Christian Ponder is not seen as the long-term answer–new OC Norv Turner will give Ponder a real chance to win the starting job, says ESPN.com’s Tom Carpenter.
- Meanwhile, ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper thinks the Vikings will take QB Blake Bortles with their first selection in the draft, adding a young and legitimate competitor for Ponder and possibly Matt Cassel.
AFC Notes: Jags, McCourty, Decker
The Jaguars have been upfront about the team’s desire to re-sign Chad Henne as well as draft at least one quarterback, but GM Dave Caldwell told Jacksonville.com’s Vito Stellino (subscription required) he won’t be a slave to need: “If we’re going to give into pressure (to take a quarterback high if they have other players rated higher), we’re going to make the wrong decision,’’ he said. “Our vision is to build a franchise that can sustain and win over a period of time. In that process, if a quarterback presents himself, we’ll grab him.’’
- Patriots safety Devin McCourty earned a $3MM contract bump for 2014, the final year of his rookie deal, because he played 80 percent of the snaps his first four years, according to Christopher Price of WEEI.com.
- Broncos free agents Eric Decker and Knowshon Moreno would like to return to Denver, but they don’t know their futures, and executive VP of football operations John Elway is being vague about the team’s plans, per Colorado’s 9news.com. Industry insiders expect both players to be too expensive for the Broncos to re-sign, especially Decker, who will be highly sought after on the open market.
Jaguars GM Talks Free Agency, Draft, Monroe
As we noted last night, Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell told fans at EverBank Field yesterday that suspended wide receiver Justin Blackmon will be back with the team at some point. However, that was far from the only noteworthy comment made by the general manager yesterday. John Oesher of Jaguars.com and Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union passed along several other items from Caldwell, which we’ll round up right here:
- Caldwell identified the offensive and defensive lines as areas the team will focus on free agency, indicating that the 2014 class of FAs looks “pretty solid” at both positions. “I think it depends on guys who get signed before free agency and we just have to wait and see who’s available,” Caldwell said.
- After being very selective and patient in free agency a year ago, the Jaguars figure to be more active out of the gate this time around. Said Caldwell: “We need to target guys and be aggressive with that and then just let the market settle where opportunities present itself a week or two later.”
- Asked if there’s a league-wide consensus on the top few players in the draft, Caldwell indicated that the Jaguars have a pretty good idea of the top five players on their own board, but added that those names wouldn’t necessarily be the same for every NFL team.
- The Jaguars will be very open to moving down in the draft from No. 3 if the right opportunity presents itself.
- While he conceded that trading tackle Eugene Monroe early last season “stung a little bit,” Caldwell doesn’t regret the move, since it landed the team a pair of mid-round draft picks.
- According to Caldwell, a quarterback’s height isn’t a major factor in Jacksonville’s evaluations, with the team prioritizing characteristics like timing, accuracy and decision-making instead.
Extra Points: Kluwe, Blackmon, Rogers
Clayton Halunen, the attorney for former Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, says he’s upset with the club’s decision to retain special teams coach Mike Priefer before the conclusion of the investigation into his comments, as Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press details. The punter, who has been a vocal advocate for gay marriage, alleged that Priefer made a number of homophobic remarks in his presence. More from around the NFL..
- At a fan event, Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell said that at some point, suspended wide receiver Justin Blackmon will be back with the team, tweets Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. That falls in line with recent comments from Jags owner Shad Khan.
- The 49ers may ask cornerback Carlos Rogers to take a pay cut yet again, writes CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Maiocco. Money is fairly tight in San Francisco. The salary cap is expected to be in the $126-128MM range and the 49ers’ top 51 players currently under contract account for $121.2MM, according to a league source. The club has an additional $2.175MM in carryover of unused cap space from the 2013 season, but Rogers, Jon Baldwin, and others may have to take less to stay in SF.
- Newly-minted Browns defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil is glad to have Barkevious Mingo on his squad. In fact, Buffalo’s former outside linebackers coach pushed the Bills to pick Mingo with the eighth pick in last year’s draft but he was off the board once Cleveland grabbed him at No. 6, writes Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald. “I’m a big fan of Mingo. I’m looking forward to working with him. He flashes some on tape. He did a lot of good things. He’s obviously a young player. He’s got some things to work on, but we’re excited as a defensive staff to get him back here and start working with him,” said O’Neil.
- Albert Breer of NFL Network (via these five Twitter links) rightfully notes that the NFL salary cap isn’t set in stone at the $126.3MM estimate that came about in December. A number of factors, including TV money and the influence of the NFLPA, could drive that number closer to $130MM.
- Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram (on Twitter) expects the Cowboys to sign quarterback Mike Kafka. Dallas will need a QB to get through the offseason program while Tony Romo goes through rehab. Earlier today we learned that Dallas auditioned the former Northwestern signal caller.
Kiper On Manziel, Clowney, Watkins, Jets
Draft day is still more than three months away, but with the offseason underway and the scouting combine around the corner, it’s not too early to start looking ahead. Before he revealed his newest mock (Insider link), ESPN.com draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. appeared on a teleconference today to discuss the 2014 NFL draft, and plenty of reporters passed along the highlights. Here’s a recap of several of Kiper’s notable comments (all links go to Twitter):
- After talking to people around the league, Kiper believes that Johnny Manziel is the consensus top QB in the draft, at least for now. Of course, that doesn’t mean he’s atop every team’s board.
- Wide receivers and offensive tackles are likely to dominate the first round, according to Kiper. However, in addition to being top-heavy, the WR class is also expected to be deep, so a team like the Steelers could land a good player there later in the draft.
- There should also be plenty of cornerback depth in the draft, so clubs like the Steelers and Bears can afford to wait on that position, though Chicago will likely have to address its defensive line in the early rounds, says Kiper.
- Kiper believes Jadeveon Clowney will be picked either first overall by the Texans or third overall by the Jaguars, with both teams in need of a pass rusher to get after Andrew Luck twice a season.
- Whichever of those clubs doesn’t take Clowney will probably draft Manziel, according to Kiper, who foresees the Texas A&M signal-caller going first or third, with Teddy Bridgewater coming off the board at No. 4, to the Browns.
- Wide receiver Sammy Watkins is unlikely to be picked outside of the top five, in Kiper’s view.
- Kiper doesn’t expect any running backs to be selected in the first round this year.
- The Chiefs figure to target receivers, safeties, or defensive linemen in the first round, says Kiper.
- Kiper has the Jets using the No. 18 pick on receiver Marqise Lee, and suggests the club should draft a QB in the middle rounds as an insurance policy for Geno Smith.
Jaguars Notes: Henne, Draft, Clowney, Shorts
Jaguars coach Gus Bradley spoke with Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida-Times Union about free agency, the upcoming draft, and the importance of re-signing quarterback Chad Henne.
“The competition that took place with [Henne] and Blaine Gabbert during OTAs and minicamp and training camp, he didn’t really flinch through the whole process and when he got his opportunity, he took advantage of it and we thought he made really good process,” Bradley said of Henne. “We think, having a year under his belt, he will have a better understanding of the system and we’re really excited as far as what he brought to us leadership wise.”
Here’s more from Bradley’s interview and other notes on the Jaguars..
- Bradley won’t jump to conclusions over talk that quarterback A.J. McCarron might not throw at the draft combine in Indianapolis, saying that it’s not always a red flag when a player opts out of working out. However, he did admit that there’s a part of him that likes to see an athlete take every opportunity to compete.
- Bradley mentioned Auburn defensive end Dee Ford and Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr when asked what players stood out at the Senior Bowl and spoke glowingly of Jadeveon Clowney.
- The Jaguars should pass on tapping a quarterback early in the 2014 draft, writes ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco. DiRocco reasons that defense wins championships and a young QB needs the right pieces around him to succeed – something that Jacksonville doesn’t have at the moment.
- More from DiRocco, who writes that Jacksonville should wait on extending Cecil Shorts as he enters the final year of his rookie deal.
Free Agency Notes: Jones-Drew, Veldheer, Finley
With free agency looming, let’s discuss some of the veteran players that find themselves in uncertain contract situations…
Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com thinks that Maurice Jones-Drew‘s days playing for the Jaguars are over. DiRocco explains that because Jones-Drew will have likely have to take a less lucrative contract to stay in Jacksonville, he will likely leave to pursue a a free agent deal similar to the ones received by Steven Jackson, Reggie Bush, and Shonn Greene last offseason.
- Jermichael Finley has stated that while he hopes to remain with the Packers, he is open to playing for any team next season, as reported by ProFootballTalk.com and Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette
- Jared Veldheer expressed to 95.7 THE GAME radio station that he wants to continue to play for the Raiders and hopes to receive a new deal soon.
- Mile High Report writes (via Twitter) that the Broncos may move right tackle Orlando Franklin over to guard to fill the void left by departing free agent Zane Beadles
AFC Notes: Kraft, Talib, Wilson, Blackmon
Patriots owner Robert Kraft sat down with Michael Felger and Tony Massarotti on Boston’s 98.5 The Sports Hub (full interview here), addressing the team’s window to contend for a championship in relation to 36-year-old quarterback Tom Brady‘s twilight years. When asked if the closing window inspires the organization to be more aggressive in surrounding Brady with win-now players, Kraft brushed off the philosophy: “We have to try to sustain success by managing as wisely as we can. It’s not dependent on any one player. . .I think a better strategy is to try to be solid and be able to compete year in and year out.”
- When asked about free agent-to-be Aqib Talib, Kraft laid the groundwork for the team’s typical hardball approach, saying, “He wasn’t on the field a lot of the time since he’s been with us.” However, in the next breath, Kraft expressed his belief that both parties would be interested in extending the relationship: “I think he’s happy here and would like to be here, and we’re happy with him and we’d like to have him here. Now it’s just about doing business.”
- Patriots veteran safety Adrian Wilson, who spent the year on IR, spoke with “The Drive” with Jody, MJ and Bauer on Fox Sports 910 AM Phoenix, saying he doesn’t know if he’ll be back in New England despite signing a three-year deal in 2013.
- Jaguars owner Shad Khan “absolutely” wants suspended receiver Justin Blackmon back on the team when he is reinstated, according to Florida Times-Union beat writer Ryan O’Halloran (via Twitter).
- In theory, Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton should be entering his prime, but it’s not unreasonable to draft another quarterback, according to ESPN’s Cole Harvey.