West Notes: Bailey, Seahawks, Raiders
A look at the AFC and NFC West..
- The season-ending injury to Carson Palmer motivated defensive end Allen Bailey to sign a new deal with the Chiefs rather than wait for free agency, writes Peter King of The MMQB. “That was an eye-opener,” the former third-round pick said. “Anything can happen, on any play. I decided to do it now. Plus, this is a great place for me. I love the family atmosphere we have here. We all buy in, and we all work hard. It’s a great bunch of guys.”
- Coach Pete Carroll wouldn’t commit to it, but Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (via Twitter links) wouldn’t be surprised if the Seahawks sign Lemuel Jeanpierre to fill in for Max Unger at center. Seattle would have to make a roster move to bring Jeanpierre back and if he does return, it wouldn’t be a huge shock to Condotta to see him immediately plugged in at center. As it stands, Patrick Lewis is the only other center on the roster.
- Raiders owner Mark Davis told Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News that L.A. would be a “great option” for his team if a new stadium isn’t going to get built in Oakland, according to CSNBayArea.com. The Raiders have also had flirtations with the city of San Antonio.
Latest On Justin Houston
As Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) puts it, signing Justin Houston to a new deal will be an expenditure more akin to “shopping at Bloomingdale’s than it is shopping at Sears.” Houston, from what he hears, is slated to make more than Robert Quinn (four-year extension worth ~$67MM) and a bit less than J.J. Watt (six-year extension worth as much as ~$100MM). Despite the hefty price tag, however, a deal is going to get done between the Chiefs and Houston, according to Cole.
Kansas City had serious reservations about making a long-term commitment to the 25-year-old (26 in January) at the start of the year, but the franchise has done a 180 in their perception of him since then. The Chiefs had major concerns about Houston’s attitude and work ethic but he has done a great deal in 2014 to silence, and convert, his front office critics.
Meanwhile, if a deal doesn’t get done between the new sides, things could get very interesting with a battle reminiscent of Jimmy Graham vs. the Saints from this past offseason. If KC doesn’t agree to an extension with Houston, he will argue that he is a defensive end and not a linebacker to increase his salary under the franchise tag, Cole tweets. The franchise tag could be a rather likely outcome, in fact, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) rightly notes that KC has just $2.892MM of cap room. That’ll make it extremely tough to complete a Houston extension before the end of the season.
Still, if Houston wants to argue that he’s actually a defensive end, he might have a hard time. Houston, according to Jeff Deeney of Pro Football Focus (via Twitter) has played with his hand on the ground less than 10% of the time this season. I would also add that KC plays a pretty straight forward 3-4 defense, so there doesn’t seem to be a lot of room for interpretation on the matter. Linebackers are projected to earn around $13.3MM under the franchise tag for 2015, assuming a $144MM cap, according to Corry (link).
Workout Updates: Holmes, Pryor, Lewis
After having been released by the Bears earlier this week to make room for Marquess Wilson, wide receiver Santonio Holmes passed through waivers unclaimed and is on the lookout for a new job. And according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), the veteran wideout has already paid a visit to Kansas City to meet with the Chiefs, a team that could use a receiver — through nine games, no Chiefs wide receivers have a touchdown this season.
While we wait to see if Holmes ends up signing with Kansas City or another club, let’s round up a few more Saturday updates on free agent visits, workouts, and auditions around the league….
- With Nick Foles on the shelf, the Eagles just have two healthy quarterbacks on the active roster, and while a move is unlikely, the team is keeping an eye on free agent options just in case. According to Florio (via Twitter), Philadelphia worked out signal-callers Terrelle Pryor and Thad Lewis.
- Lou Young, who was cut from the Jaguars’ practice squad earlier this week, was one of a handful of defensive backs to try out for the Cowboys, along with Robert Steeples and Jonte Green, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- In addition to the previously-reported punters that worked out for the Buccaneers this week, punter Jake Dombrowski and long snapper Charley Hughlett also auditioned for the club, according to Wilson (via Twitter).
- Defensive tackle Kenny Horsley, who auditioned for the Packers earlier this week, also worked out for the Bears, per Wilson (via Twitter).
Chiefs Extend Allen Bailey Through 2018
3:23pm: The Chiefs have formally announced Bailey’s extension in a press release.
“We are happy that we were able to reach an agreement to keep Allen in Kansas City,” said GM John Dorsey in a statement. “He has developed into a good football player and a key member of our defense.”
2:33pm: The Chiefs have reached an agreement on a contract extension for defensive lineman Allen Bailey, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to Florio, it’ll be a four-year deal for Bailey, with a base value of $25MM, and $10MM to sign.
Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports adds (via Twitter) that the extension features $15MM in guaranteed money, though a portion of that guarantee is for injury only. Florio outlines the details, noting that in addition to the $10MM signing bonus, $4MM in injury-only guarantees will become fully guaranteed this winter, shortly after the Super Bowl. The agreement also includes another $1MM in injury-only guarantees.
Bailey, 25, has been installed as a full-time starter on the defensive line for the first time this season. After playing 506 defensive snaps a year ago, Bailey has appeared in 472 so far this season through just nine games, and has certainly held his own. According to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required), the former third-round pick has ranked 21st among 50 qualified 3-4 defensive ends, playing particularly well as a pass rusher, having recorded 16 total quarterback pressures.
Having been selected by the Chiefs out of Miami in the 2011 draft, Bailey had been in the final year of his rookie contract, and was eligible for unrestricted free agency after the 2014 season. The extension, which will keep him under team control through 2018, represents a significant pay raise for the fourth-year pro — his ’14 base salary had been the league minimum ($645K), with modest bonuses bumping his overall cap hit to about $809K.
Of course, while locking up Bailey beyond this season is a solid move by the Chiefs to reinforce the team’s defensive front seven, a more significant contract negotiation still looms. Star outside linebacker Justin Houston is also on an expiring deal, and there’s been no indication that he and the Chiefs are close to agreeing on a multiyear pact. If the club enters the offseason without a new contract in place for Houston, the franchise tag looks like a real possibility for the Pro Bowl pass rusher.
AFC Mailbags: Tannehill, Landry, Forsett, Shorts
It’s Saturday, and that means a fresh batch of NFL mailbags from ESPN.com’s writers. Let’s start with some interesting notes out of the AFC…
- To James Walker’s knowledge, the Dolphins have not discussed a contract extension with quarterback Ryan Tannehill. The writer clarifies that it’s too early to know if Tannehill is actually the answer for the organization.
- Meanwhile, Walker doesn’t believe running back Knowshon Moreno will be back with the Dolphins next season.
- Among the group of upcoming Jets free agents, linebacker David Harris will be atop the team’s list of priorities, writes Rich Cimini. Reversely, the writer can’t envision Willie Colon or Kyle Wilson being back, and he also has a tough time seeing Geno Smith on the roster, especially if the front office is cleared out.
- Mike Wells believes the Colts’ use of LaRon Landry is an indication that he will not be back next season. The safety hasn’t cracked the starting lineup since returning from suspension.
- Jamison Hensley writes that it would be a great public relations move for the Ravens to bring back running back Justin Forsett next season.
- Adam Teicher believes Chiefs special-teams coordinator Dave Toub would make a good head coach.
- Cecil Shorts deserves an extension from the Jaguars, according to Michael DiRocco, but the value might not be what the receiver was originally seeking.
Free Agency Notes: Suh, Bryant, Pierre-Paul
Many NFL teams are focused on making the playoffs during the home stretch of the season, but many of their top players are also worried about their impending free agency. Field Yates of ESPN.com put together a list of five players who are set to receive huge contracts this offseason (subscription required).
The headliner of that list is Lions‘ defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who may be leaving Detroit this offseason for a contract in the range of what J.J. Watt received this past offseason. Dez Bryant, Justin Houston, Demaryius Thomas, and Randall Cobb also made the list of players set up to be paid after the season.
Here are some other notes on player movement this offseason:
- Along with the list of players who are ready to get big contracts, Yates also listed five players who have seen their stocks soar since the beginning of the season. Much like the five top free agents, the five soaring stocks all come from potential playoff teams. Yates points to DeMarco Murray, Jeremy Maclin, Brian Hoyer, Mark Ingram, and Chris Harris Jr..
- Bryant appears on Yates’ list of players set up for big contracts, but Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com expects the superstar wide receiver to remain with the Cowboys for at least two more seasons (via Twitter). Archer writes that the Cowboys always keep a player they want, and won’t lose Bryant if they want to keep him (via Twitter).
- One big name player who doesn’t appear on Yates’ list is Giants‘ defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. Pierre-Paul has been inconsistent since his breakout 2011 season when he recorded 16.5 sacks. The embattled Giant is ambivalent about returning to the team next year, according to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post (via Twitter). “Hey, if I’m here, I’m here,” said Pierre-Paul. “If I’m not, I’m not.”
AFC Notes: Hoyer, Chiefs, Manuel, Jets
As Brian Hoyer and the Browns continue to play well, the quarterback’s contract situation will continue to be a story. Former agent and current CBSSports.com analyst Joel Corry appeared on CBS Sports Radio’s Ferrall on the Bench yesterday, expressing his belief that the team should wait one more season before making a decision about the position…
“There haven’t been any contract discussions with Brian Hoyer since the spring…He’s making $1.2 million this year. He’s severely underpaid, so they’re ultimately going to have to make a choice. Do they go with their first-round pick, Johnny Manziel, as quarterback, or do they pay Brian Hoyer like a starting quarterback and then figure out what to do with Johnny?”
“What I would do is delay the decision a year. I would either put a transition tag for $16 million on Brian Hoyer for 2015 or franchise him for $18.5 million for the one year. It all depends on what my strategy would be, which tag I would use. If I wasn’t afraid of some team in the open market signing him to an offer sheet – which the Browns would be able to match because they’ll have about $50 million of cap room – (I might do that). And (if) they were comfortable with letting the market decide the deal and have him go long-term at that point, then I’d put the transition tag on him. If they wanted to truly play it out for another year, you franchise him for the $18.5 million and let things unfold in 2015.”
Let’s check out some more notes from the AFC…
- Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole hushed any rumors regarding Richie Incognito and the Chiefs. The writer tweeted that the lineman has not worked out for Kansas City.
- Bills quarterback EJ Manuel will not become a consistent starter in the NFL, opines CBS NFL analyst Steve Beuerlein (via Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today Sports). “There’s no doubt Kyle Orton is not the guy for the future, but you’ve got to decide whether or not EJ Manuel is,” said Beuerlein. “There are just so many questions there, that I don’t know how you make that decision in his favor.”
- There is no reason that Mark Sanchez‘s apparent turnaround couldn’t have happened with the Jets, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
West Notes: Seahawks, Williams, Chiefs
The Raiders are winless, but quarterback Derek Carr says they haven’t quit on the season, Steve Corkran of the Bay Area News Group writes. “When the effort goes down, that’s bad,” Carr said today. “The energy level is, honestly, like we’re 9-0. Guys run around and are still striving to do whatever they can to make this thing right. Hopefully it will be sooner than later. It’s going to happen one of these days, and I’ll be excited to be a part of it.” More from the AFC and NFC West..
- Kevin Williams signed with the Seahawks in part because he wouldn’t be asked to carry the load anymore, but that’s about to change, writes Tim Booth of The Associated Press. Seattle is counting on Williams in the wake of Brandon Mebane‘s torn hamstring and they’ll need some serious run-stopping ability to help fill that void. Williams signed a one-year deal with the Seahawks in June that can pay him as much as $2.1MM.
- With Mebane and tight end Zach Miller now on the injured reserve, the Seahawks‘ “next man up” philosophy is more important than ever, writes Gregg Bell of The News Tribune. Seattle filled its roster spot vacated by Miller going on IR with linebacker Allen Bradford, who will have a prominent role in special teams.
- Waived countless times, Ron Parker has finally found a home with the Chiefs, writes Dave Skretta of The Associated Press. The Newberry College product has been waived and signed by three different teams but the defensive back shined last week against Bills star receiver Sammy Watkins. “You saw his athleticism, his ability to run,” Chiefs GM John Dorsey said. “He’s got an innate toughness about him that you always like. He’s always been able to overcome.“
Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
In addition to tweaking their 53-man rosters in preparation for Week 11’s games, teams around the NFL are also making changes to their practice squads. Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts:
- The Browns signed defensive lineman Jamie Meder to their taxi squad, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal (on Twitter). Meder, an Ohio native, was recently cut from the Ravens’ practice squad.
- Brian McIntyre (on Twitter) has the goods on the Seahawks‘ latest taxi squad moves. Seattle has signed defensive end Ryan Robinson and running back Cierre Wood while placing running back Demitrius Bronson and defensive tackle Julius Warmsley on the IR. Linebacker L.J. Fort, who was being looked at as a possible fullback option, has been released.
- The Giants released safety Kyle Sebetic from the practice squad, tweets Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger.
- The Packers have re-signed wideout Alex Gillett to their taxi squad, releasing Jordan McCray in a corresponding move, a source tells Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- Confirming a Monday report, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com tweets that center Darren Keyton has formally been added to the Lions‘ practice squad, replacing linebacker Jerrell Harris.
Earlier updates:
- After placing linebacker Patrick Willis on injured reserve today, the 49ers signed another linebacker, Shayne Skov, to their practice squad, the team announced (via Twitter). Skov, who spent the summer with the Niners, was cut from the Buccaneers’ taxi squad last month.
- Looking to add depth at the tight end position, the Chiefs not only added Phillip Supernaw to their active roster today, but also signed tight end Adam Schiltz to their practice squad, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Schiltz takes the spot vacated by running back Charcandrick West, who was promoted to the 53-man roster today.
- The Browns have released defensive lineman Jacobbi McDaniel from their practice squad, leaving an opening on the unit, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link).
- Linebacker Denicos Allen has been cut from the Buccaneers‘ practice squad, per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (Twitter link).
- Amidst a flurry of other roster moves, the Jaguars released cornerback Lou Young from their practice squad today, according to Wilson (via Twitter).
Minor Moves: Tuesday
Tuesday is typically the busiest day of the week during the NFL season for transactions, so we’ll round up several of the day’s less notable 53-man roster changes in this space, adding the latest moves to the top of the list throughout the day:
- After placing defensive tackle Brandon Mebane on injured reserve, ending his season, the Seahawks signed tight end Rashaun Allen to take his spot on the 53-man roster, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Allen had been on the Vikings’ practice squad.
- The Saints have reinstated wide receiver Joe Morgan from his suspension and have a roster exemption for him that expires tomorrow, tweets Howard Balzer of The SportsXchange.
Earlier updates:
- A week after claiming him off waivers, the Bills have let go of safety Jerome Couplin, the team announced today in a press release. As Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets, the team could replace Couplin with a defensive end, since Jarius Wynn wasn’t able to practice today.
- Linebacker Zac Diles has been cut by the Texans, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Diles had been signed when Houston was dealing with several injuries at the linebacker position, and it seems he’s no longer needed now that the club is getting a little healthier.
- The Buccaneers have placed rookie guard Kadeem Edwards on their injured reserve list due to a season-ending foot injury, per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (via Twitter). The team has yet to announce an addition to the roster, so for now there’s an open spot on the squad.
- The Chiefs have signed tight end Phillip Supernaw to their active roster from the Ravens’ practice squad, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Demetrius Harris broke his foot during the team’s Sunday win over Buffalo, and Anthony Fasano was banged up as well, so more depth at the tight end position was necessary.
- In addition to signing Supernaw, the Chiefs also announced several more roster moves, promoting running back Charcandrick West from their practice squad and placing Harris and running back Cyrus Gray on injured reserve.
- The Browns have reversed a roster move they made a few weeks ago, re-signing fullback Ray Agnew to their active roster and waiving fullback Kiero Small (Twitter link). The team had previously promoted Small to replace Agnew, who was the starting fullback earlier this season.