AFC Notes: Pats, Flowers, Raiders, Chiefs
The Patriots made a pair of roster moves today in advance of training camp, parting ways with two undrafted rookie receivers. According to a press release, Jeremy Johnson and Reese Wiggins were cut by the team, and will become free agents assuming they clear waivers. The cuts give New England three total openings on the club’s 90-man roster, so it shouldn’t be long before we get word on which players will be occupying those open spots.
Let’s round up a few more items from around the AFC….
- Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio today (Twitter links), Brandon Flowers said he signed with the Chargers because he saw while he was with the Chiefs that the AFC’s other Wild Card team was close to being a legit contender. The veteran cornerback also downplayed the idea that he was a poor fit in Bob Dutton’s defense last year in Kansas City, pointing to injury woes instead as the reason for his 2013 struggles.
- Oakland City Council voted last night to approve the Athletics’ lease to remain at O.co Coliseum, but only if a handful of small tweaks to the agreement were agreed upon by the MLB club. Will Kane of the San Francisco Chronicle and Matthew Artz of the Oakland Tribune have the details on the latest developments, and how they could affect the Raiders.
- We haven’t heard any concrete updates lately on the progress made by Alex Smith and the Chiefs toward an extension, but Smith reiterated today that he loves the city, his coaches, and his teammates, and would like to get something done (Twitter link via Randy Covitz of the Kansas City Star).
- The Jaguars committed twice as much guaranteed money this offseason to Zane Beadles as they did to any other free agent, prompting Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union to explore what kind of impact the team’s new offensive lineman will make.
- As was the case a year ago, Cameron Wake and Mike Wallace were once again Jason Fitzgerald’s selections for the best and worst contracts on the Dolphins‘ books (link via OverTheCap.com).
- The pressure will be on Eric Decker to produce like a No. 1 receiver for the Jets in 2014 and beyond, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post, who takes a closer look at the club’s top free agent addition.
AFC Notes: Texans, Chiefs, Jets, Raiders
After a four-year stint in Kansas City, Texans safety and New Orleans native Kendrick Lewis is happy to be closer to home, writes Hank Brady of The Times-Picayune. Now that he’s closer to home, he’s started a football camp for children from the area. “It’s just a blessing to be able to come out here and get with these kids from these same playgrounds, these same parks and these same high schools,” said Lewis. “This (camp) is really important. It’s something that we’ve been meaning to do for a while now.” More from around the NFL..
- The Chiefs cut defensive tackle Risean Broussard from injured reserve, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
- Seth Walder of the New York Daily News looks at five Jets players who need to perform well in training camp in order to make the roster. Stephen Hill, Tajh Boyd, Antonio Allen, Jacoby Ford and Quincy Enunwa have lots to prove, in Walder’s view.
- The Raiders made stopgap solutions this offseason rather than look for younger players that could help them going forward, and that could wind up hurting them, writes Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today. The new crew of veterans could create an atmosphere that attracts young talent, but if it doesn’t, GM Reggie McKenzie will have to answer for that.
- Panthers Pro Bowl defensive end Greg Hardy was found guilty Tuesday night of assaulting a female and communicating threats, writes Steve Reed of the Associated Press. It’s unclear at this point how the verdict will affect Hardy’s long-term future with the Panthers. Hardy will play out the 2014 season before hitting the open market next offseason.
Sunday Roundup: Bills Ownership, NFC West
In May, Former Sabres owner B. Thomas Golisano and Syracuse developer Scott Congel had preliminary talks to form a partnership and purchase the Bills. Now, however, those conversations are dead, writes Tim Graham of The Buffalo News. According to Graham, Golisano would still like to bid on the team by himself, and Congel may also be interested in purchasing the club on his own. If Golisano were to buy the club, he would not rule out selling a minority share in the team to Congel.
Now for some more links from around the league:
- Rich Campbell of The Chicago Tribune lays out a “superlative guide” to the Bears‘ training camp, naming Marquess Wilson the player “most likely to succeed”–Wilson emerged from spring workouts as the team’s clear No. 3 receiver–and declaring the team’s fiercest frontline position battle to be at the safety position.
- Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk continues PFT’s series of preseason power rankings by looking at the Rams. Crabtree notes that the team still lacks a true No. 1 receiver and depth along the secondary, and despite adding quality talent in the draft and boasting perhaps the best defensive line in the game, St. Louis plays in the league’s best division and so will probably remain on the outside looking in.
- Speaking of the talented NFC West, Kent Somers of AZCentral.com examines the Cardinals‘ outlook for the 2014 campaign. Somers notes that the Cards, who finished 10-6 under first-year head coach Bruce Arians in 2013, should see continued improvement as they continue to settle into Arians’ offensive system. There is talent up and down the roster, but the rebuilt offensive line and the linebacker group–which lost Karlos Dansby to free agency and Daryl Washington to suspension–could hold the team back.
- Seahawks‘ pass rusher Bruce Irvin, who underwent hip surgery this offseason, is progressing well, writes Todd Dybas of The News Tribune. Although Irvin tweeted last month that he would return by training camp, which opens July 25, Dybas notes that he will be sidelined quite a bit longer than that.
- Defensive lineman Vance Walker, who signed a three-year, $13MM free agent contract with the Chiefs this offseason, is feeling right at home with his new club, writes Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star.
- Bo Smolka of CSNBaltimore.com examines the battle for the Ravens‘ No. 3 running back spot. Smolka notes that if Ray Rice is suspended as expected, both Justin Forsett and rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro will make the club and Baltimore can reexamine its options when Rice returns. However, if Rice somehow escapes suspension, Smolka predicts that Rice, Bernard Pierce, and Taliaferro will make up the team’s running back corps.
Latest On Andre Johnson
The quiet period in the NFL calendar got a little more interesting today, when Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that Andre Johnson wants the Texans to trade him, and that there are four teams with interest in making a deal for the wide receiver. Since that story broke, a number of writers have suggested, via Twitter or in columns of their own, that Houston won’t be inclined to move Johnson because a trade would result in nearly $12MM in dead money on the team’s cap.
While I agree that a trade is unlikely, pointing to the potential dead money on Houston’s cap as the primary reason the club would prefer to keep him seems a little off to me. Since it’s after June 1, only $4.64MM of that dead money would count against the team’s cap in 2014, with the remainder ($7.32MM) being applied to 2015’s cap. Those are significant numbers for a player no longer on the roster, but Johnson’s cap hits if he remains a Texan are much higher — $14MM+ this season and $16MM+ in 2015. Trading Johnson would actually open up cap room this year and next for the club. It would just mean that a larger percentage of cap space is being committed to a veteran no longer on the club.
Trading Johnson wouldn’t be the best way for the Texans to manage their cap. But if the team could get a decent asset, such as a future draft pick or two, without taking on a sizable contract in return, there’s no reason why the club shouldn’t explore the possibility, regardless of that dead money. I just don’t think the Texans will get an offer at this point in the NFL year that makes a deal worth their while. We’ll have to wait and see how the situation plays out.
Here’s the latest on the Johnson situation:
- A source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter) that Johnson would restructure his contract to help a potential new team get under the salary cap but will not take a pay cut. Meanwhile, Rapoport (on Twitter) sees the Raiders as a possible landing spot if Johnson would greenlight a deal to Oakland since he shares an agent with GM Reggie McKenzie.
- Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via these Twitter links) throws cold water on the idea that the Patriots can land Johnson in a trade with the Texans. The Pats are currently $6.4MM under the cap, Johnson will earn a $10MM base, and trading Danny Amendola will add $2.25MM to the Pats’ cap. So, unless Johnson agrees to a heavily backloaded new contract, it’s not a likely pairing. The Pats can clear come space by cutting Dan Connolly and extending Devin McCourty and Stephen Gostkowski, but that’s a lot work to do before dealing for Johnson.
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears a similar story to what Rapoport reported earlier today — after meeting with the Texans‘ new coaching staff and being reassured that the club wasn’t in full rebuild mode, Johnson had been willing to report to OTAs and minicamp this spring in order to receive his $1MM bonus. However, because the bonus hinged on the 32-year-old’s full participation in offseason activities, the Texans turned down that request. If there’s a rational explanation for why the team wasn’t willing to pay that $1MM to mend the fences and allow Johnson to save face, it “has yet to make its way into the eyes and ears of the media,” writes Florio.
- In his full story on Johnson from this morning, Rapoport noted that the wideout feels he has earned a measure of goodwill from the Texans, since he has restructured his contract three times at the team’s behest. That’s part of the reason why he’s upset about the $1MM slight. Of course, as Brian McIntyre points out, none of those three restructures – which saw a total of $18.5MM in salary or roster bonuses converted into signing bonuses – involved pay cuts, so it’s not as if Johnson was making huge sacrifices (Twitter links).
- Florio and NFL.com’s Marc Sessler both ran through a list of potential suitors for Johnson, should the Texans start to seriously explore trades. Predictably, there’s plenty of overlap, with the Browns, Ravens, Patriots, Panthers, and Chiefs showing up in both pieces. Florio also identifies the Falcons, Chargers, and Rams as possibilities, while Sessler names the Seahawks and Jets.
Latest On NFL Supplemental Draft
A pair of prospects eligible for this month’s NFL supplemental draft recently held Pro Days, which were attended by a handful of teams, according to various reports. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears from agent Louis Bing that the Cowboys, Texans, Packers, Colts, Lions, Giants, Seahawks, Dolphins, and Bears were in attendance to watch SMU running back Traylon Shead work out. Meanwhile, according to NFLDraftDiamonds.com (via PFT), the Bears, Cardinals, Chiefs, Colts, Eagles, Falcons, 49ers, Patriots, Raiders, Rams, and Texans attended the workout for former Virginia-Lynchburg defensive lineman LaKendrick Ross.
As Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report wrote last month when he previewed 2014’s supplemental draft, it doesn’t project to be too exciting an affair, with Shead, Ross, and New Mexico wideout Chase Clayton among the players eligible. A year ago, none of the six players eligible for the 2013 supplemental draft were selected, and it looks like this year’s crop of players won’t warrant more than late-round picks, if they’re taken at all.
The supplemental draft is intended to accommodate players who missed the deadline for May’s NFL draft or were declared ineligible for another reason. In some cases, players eligible for the supplemental draft land there as a result of being declared academically ineligible in the NCAA, or being kicked off of a team — this helps to explain why some of the more notable players selected in recent supplemental drafts – such as Josh Brent and Josh Gordon – have had off-field concerns.
If a team wants to select a player in the supplemental draft, it must let the league know the round in which it’s willing to select that player. The club which submits the highest round will receive the player and forfeit a 2015 draft pick in that same round. For instance, when the Browns used a second-round supplemental choice on Gordon in 2012, it meant that the team lost its second-round pick for the 2013 draft.
AFC Links: Texans, Jets, Ravens, Titans, Bills
The Texans and Jets may have added their starting quarterbacks for 2014 in free agency this offseason, with Houston inking Ryan Fitzpatrick to a two-year deal and New York signing Michael Vick to a one-year pact. Fitzpatrick sits atop the depth chart for the Texans, and Vick figures to push Geno Smith for the starting job in New York. However, both teams made more under-the-radar signings that Lorenzo Reyes praises in his most recent piece for USA Today, with the Texans adding running back Andre Brown and the Jets landing cornerback Dimitri Patterson. According to Reyes, while these moves didn’t receive the same sort of attention that other offseason transactions did in Houston or New York, they could ultimately pay major dividends.
We examined Houston’s offseason activity last night, and will be shifting our focus to the Jets and the rest of the AFC East this week. In the meantime, here are a few more links from across the AFC:
- Albert Breer of the NFL Network takes an in-depth look at the reasons why players should (or should not) hold out, using J.J. Watt of the Texans and Justin Houston of the Chiefs as a pair of examples. As Breer outlines, Watt may have the leverage this offseason to hold out for a new deal, though there has been no indication that he’ll do so. Meanwhile, Houston’s situation is more tenuous, since he could potentially forfeit an accrued season and a chance at future unrestricted free agency if he misses too much of Kansas City’s training camp.
- The NFL shouldn’t punish the Ravens along with Ray Rice by continuing to delay its announcement on a suspension for the running back, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com, who wonders why the league is taking so long to make its decision.
- A pair of offensive linemen receive best and worst contract honors in Jason Fitzgerald’s look at the Titans‘ books at OverTheCap.com. In Fitzgerald’s view, Michael Roos is playing on the most team-friendly deal on the roster, while recently-signed tackle Michael Oher has the Titans’ worst contract.
- As Mike Rodak of ESPN.com details, the Bills are using less than $4MM in cap space on their quarterbacks this season, meaning that even if there are no above-average signal callers on the roster, at least the team isn’t overpaying anyone at the position.
AFC Notes: Ravens, Browns, Patriots, Chiefs
A frustrating year befell the 2013 Baltimore Ravens, unable to match the high expectations set after winning the Super Bowl the prior season. The offense sputtered behind the NFL’s worst rushing offense and inconsistent play from quarterback Joe Flacco, and an average defense couldn’t make up for the offensive deficiencies.
Thankfully, 2014 is a clean slate. According to Ben Smolka of CSNBaltimore.com, safety Darian Stewart, fullback Kyle Juszczyk and offensive lineman Ryan Jensen are three players whose stocks are rising after the team’s offseason, while defensive lineman Terrence Cody, center Gino Gradkowski and offensive lineman Jah Reid are on the opposite end of the spectrum.
Stewart, with 19 starts in his four-year NFL career, looks to be the Week 1 starter opposite Matt Elam, Smolka writes. Juszczyk is a perfect fit in Gary Kubiak‘s offense and Jensen can play every position on the offensive line.
More news and notes from around the NFL…
- As the fallout from the Josh Gordon saga continues, Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer suggests the Browns offer the wideout an ultimatum: enroll in a full-time rehabilitation program in Cleveland right now, or be released. Pluto points out that Gordon’s problems have continued from his time at Baylor and Utah, and it’s time to truly figure out his interest in football.
- Patriots first-round defensive tackle Dominique Easley is making progress in his recovery coming off two torn ACLs in college, writes ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss, who provides a status update on each of the team’s nine draft picks. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, drafted in the second round, has taken advantage of an opportunity afforded to him by the limited availability of backup quarterback Ryan Mallett.
- Chiefs rookie running back De’Anthony Thomas told NFL.com that he’s a player nobody’s ever seen step on the football field, according to Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper. Thomas also set a number of goals for the season, including winning Rookie of the Year, leading the team in a number of offensive categories and going to the Super Bowl.
NFL Suspends Jordan, Watkins, Brazill
3:35pm: Colts wideout LaVon Brazill has also been suspended and will be facing an even lengthier ban, according to Rapoport, who tweets that Brazill has been suspeneded for at least a year without pay for violating the league’s substances of abuse policy.
3:14pm: Two more NFL players will face four-game suspensions during the 2014 season for breaking league rules, according to multiple reports. Per James Walker of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Dolphins defensive end Dion Jordan has been suspended for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance policy. Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that Chiefs offensive lineman Rokevious Watkins faces a suspension for a violation of the league’s policy on substances of abuse.
Jordan represents the more significant loss for his team, as last year’s third overall pick looked poised to compete for a larger role on defense in training camp this season. It’s the second sizable blow sustained by the Dolphins recently, as Miami is also expected to be without a key piece of its offensive line to start the regular season, after Mike Pouncey underwent hip surgery. According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (via Twitter), Jordan admitted in a statement that he tested positive for “stimulants” and says he’s “very sorry” about the impact the suspension will have on the team.
As for Watkins, he started one game for the Chiefs last season and may have been competing for an increased role this year, due to a free agent exodus of key offensive linemen. However, now that he won’t be available for the first month of the season, Watkins isn’t necessarily a lock to make Kansas City’s 53-man roster. The Chiefs would be on the hook for just $60K in dead money if they were to cut him.
Both players will forfeit four games worth of salary due to their suspensions.
West Notes: Singletary, Poe, Flowers, McGloin
Mike Singletary wants to return to the NFL in a head coaching capacity, and has signed with agent Gil Scott in the hopes of pursuing that goal, according to Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal (Twitter links). The Hall of Fame linebacker has been coaching in the league for 11 years, most notably as the head coach of the 49ers from 2009-10. The 55-year-old spent the past three seasons as the assistant head coach of the Vikings, but will not return to Minnesota after Leslie Frazier’s firing. Singletary is certainly respected around the league, but I’d be surprised if he got another chance at a head job; San Francisco’s immediate turnaround following his departure probably won’t help his case.
- Dontari Poe rarely came off the field last season, and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid doesn’t think things will change in 2014. “To get him off the field you have to pull him off,” Reid told Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. “He’s not one to tap out. That’s not how he goes. You monitor that the best way you can. We didn’t see a decline in his play as the season wore on. There are a handful of teams that do what we do where you play certain guys a high percent of the plays.’’ Poe played on 1004 snaps last season, the most among all defensive tackles.
- Many Chargers veterans were hoping the team would sign Brandon Flowers following his release from the Chiefs, none more so than Flowers’ college teammate, and current Charger, Eddie Royal. “I shot him a text,” said Royal, per Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego. “I called him shortly after. Even before I knew our team was interested, I wanted to put it out there that I would love to play with him again.”
- Matt McGloin, who started six games as an undrafted rookie for the Raiders last season, now sits third on Oakland’s quarterback depth chart, but he is still optimistic about his career, writes Scott Walsh of Citizens’ Voice.
- The coaching staffs of the 49ers and the Seahawks claimed the top two spots in Alessandro Miglio of Bleacher Report’s ranking of all 32 coaching cadres.
Offseason In Review: Kansas City Chiefs
Notable signings:
- Vance Walker (DL): Three years, $10.02MM. $3MM guaranteed.
- Joe Mays (ILB): Two years, $5.969MM. $2MM guaranteed.
- Husain Abdullah (S): Two years, $2.275MM. $750K guaranteed.
- Jeff Linkenbach (OT): One year, $900K. $250K guaranteed.
- Frank Zombo (OLB): Two years, $1.625MM. $100K guaranteed.
- Chris Owens (CB): One year, $800K. $80K guaranteed.
- Weston Dressler (WR/KR): Three years, $1.53MM.
- Justin Rogers (CB): One year, minimum salary benefit.
- J’Marcus Webb (OT): One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Kyle Williams (WR): One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Jermelle Cudjo (DT): Contract details not known.
Notable losses:
- Branden Albert (OT)
- Jon Asamoah (G)
- Quintin Demps (S)
- Brandon Flowers (CB): Released
- Tyson Jackson (DE)
- Akeem Jordan (ILB)
- Kendrick Lewis (S)
- Dexter McCluster (WR/KR)
- Jerrell Powe (DL)
- Dunta Robinson (CB): Released
- Geoff Schwartz (OL)
- Anthony Toribio (DT)
Draft picks:
- Dee Ford, DE, Auburn (1.23): Signed
- Phillip Gaines, CB, Rice (3.87): Signed
- De’Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon (4.124): Signed
- Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia (5.163): Signed
- Zach Fulton, G, Tennessee (6.193): Signed
- Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, OT, McGill (6.200): Signed
Other:
- Have discussed extension for Alex Smith.
- Believed they had reached an agreement with Emmanuel Sanders.
- Signed 6 rookie free agents after the draft.
On December 30th, 2012, 3 days after six Chiefs had been named to the AFC Pro Bowl team, the Romeo Crennel-led squad crawled to a 38-3 defeat against the Broncos to end their season at 2-14. The team’s shortcomings were obvious: Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn took turns leading a completely stagnant offense while the defense vastly underperformed against the expectation set by the play of its four Pro Bowlers. The detrimental organizational culture had long-been questioned– with horror stories of General Manager Scott Pioli‘s intense nature and accusations of inter-departmental spying. Kansas City fans had even formed a group that received national media attention called ‘Save Our Chiefs’ that organized blackouts at home games and plane-dragged banners demanding Pioli’s firing. A regime change was imminent.
Fast forward four months: General manager John Dorsey and head coach Andy Reid have been hired, bringing with them high profile assistant coaches Doug Pederson, Bob Sutton, and Brad Childress, and Alex Smith has taken the reins at quarterback. A nine-game win-streak to start the 2013 Season affirmed that the massive overhaul from owner Clark Hunt had been a decidedly successful move. Although the season ended in a catastrophic Wild Card round loss to the Colts, the Chiefs entered the 2013-2014 offseason in a surprisingly stable position given the dire straits in which the franchise had found itself in 12 months prior. That said– the Chiefs still moved some pieces around this past offseason.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Chiefs’ O-line will have the most new faces of any positional unit heading into next season after the departures of three starters- Branden Albert to the Dolphins, Jon Asamoah to the Falcons, and Geoff Schwartz to the Giants. 2013 first overall pick Eric Fisher will slide over to left tackle to replace Albert, while ex-Colt Jeff Linkenbach and third-year Donald Stephenson, a former swingman, will comprise the new right side of the line.
One of the biggest headlines of the Chiefs’ offseason was the decision to let Pro Bowl return man Dexter McCluster become a free agent and sign with the Tennessee Titans. One would reasonably suspect the Chiefs to try out rookie speedster De’Anthony Thomas to fill McCluster’s void. Free agent signing Weston Dressler, who has dominated the CFL for the past few years, has also been projected to take over some of McCluster’s leftover snaps. The return of 2013 third-round pick Travis Kelce, who missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury, at the tight end position could also prove to be a boon to the offense, given Reid’s historical propensity toward using tight ends.
Defensively, the Chiefs shook up their secondary significantly, parting ways with Pro Bowl cornerback Brandon Flowers, free safety Kendrick Lewis, and nickelback Dunta Robinson. Many expect 2014 third-round pick Phillip Gaines out of Rice and hard-nosed veteran Husain Abdullah to factor significantly into the Chiefs’ 2014 defensive backfield.
Up front, the Chiefs’ defense made a few moves along the line, which had proved vulnerable at times last season after injuries to Pro Bowl outside linebackers Tamba Hali and Justin Houston. The defensive end position left vacated by former third overall pick Tyson Jackson will be fought over by Allen Bailey and Vance Walker, whom Chiefs fan will recall played with the Raiders last season. The Chiefs also hoped to provide depth to their outside linebacking corps by drafting pass rush specialist Dee Ford in the first round of the 2014 Draft. Additionally, former Alabama standout linebacker Nico Johnson will look to start alongside All Pro Derrick Johnson at the interior of Sutton‘s 3-4 defense.
The Chiefs stayed relatively quiet this offseason: although at one point they mistakenly thought that they had made waves by signing Emmanuel Sanders, the reigning AFC Wild Card team made no major acquisitions despite losing three starters on the offensive line and a Pro Bowl cornerback. In order to succeed, big strides will need to be made by Andy Reid’s young pair of bookend offensive linemen- Stephenson and Fisher. Off the field, Alex Smith’s contract renewal situation will increasingly loom over the franchise until the former 49er receives a new deal.
As long as Jamaal Charles stays healthy, the Kansas City offense possesses one of the most dangerous weapons in the NFL, and the defense should continue to improve after last season’s renaissance. Although the Broncos are still clearly a superior team and will likely dominate the AFC West once again, the Chiefs will be a popular pick to win a return trip to the AFC Wild Card round.
Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post.