Clarification On Nick Foles’ 2016 Cap Charge
Earlier today, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported that new Eagles head coach Doug Pederson has interest in bringing Rams quarterback Nick Foles back to Philadelphia. That report was met with some skepticism, based not only Philadelphia’s apparent interest, but on Los Angeles’ cap situation were they to trade Foles, so it’s worth clearing up Foles’ contract status.
After acquiring Foles from the Eagles last offseason, the Rams in August signed him to an extension, locking him up through 2017 (that final season could void based on personal and team performance, but for this discussion, that note is largely irrelevant). As part of the multi-year deal, Foles received a guaranteed $6MM roster bonus, to be paid on the third day of the 2016 league year (which falls on March 11).
[RELATED: Rams have discussed pursuit of Peyton Manning]
Whether or not the Rams will be responsible for that roster bonus on their 2016 cap is based entirely on when they would potentially trade Foles. If they dealt him to the Eagles before March 11, Philadelphia would take on the bonus, and thus add $6MM (plus 2016 Foles’ base salary of $1.75MM) to its cap. If Los Angeles waited until after March 11 to trade Foles, it would take on the $6MM charge in the form of dead money.
Obviously, we can’t speak to the veracity of the report indicating the Eagles’ interest in Foles. But if the Rams do hope to trade Foles to Philadelphia (or any club), they need to do so before March 11, and incur only $2MM in dead money (the result of Foles’ signing bonus accelerating onto their cap). Otherwise, a trade would result in $8MM in dead money for Los Angeles, a charge that wouldn’t be palatable given that Foles’ 2016 cap number if he’s on the roster is $8.75MM, just $750K more.
Thanks to Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap both for providing this article clarifying Foles’ contract, and for answering further questions via email. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Eagles Unlikely To Franchise Sam Bradford, Interested In Nick Foles?
12:44pm: It appears that Bowen’s skepticism may have been well-founded. McLane says the Eagles have not yet made a decision on Bradford, and Foles’ cap number ($8.75MM) and dead money hit ($8MM) would make a trade highly unlikely (Twitter links). In a full-length piece, Bowen says the same thing, writing that there is “no chance” that Philadelphia will reacquire Foles.
12:00pm: The Eagles are not expected to use the franchise tag on Sam Bradford if the two sides cannot reach an agreement on a new contract, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). However, Schefter reports that Philadelphia does have “some” interest in re-signing Bradford.
Bradford, who came to the Eagles in the trade that sent Nick Foles to the Rams, struggled out of the gate in his first season in Philly, though he did play much better in the second half of the year as he grew more comfortable in Chip Kelly‘s offense. Kelly, in his capacity as head coach/personnel executive, was responsible for bringing Bradford to the Eagles, but Kelly was fired before the end of the season and the team hired Doug Pederson to take his place on the sidelines while displaced vice president of football operations Howie Roseman regained his authority over personnel matters. As such, two of the team’s biggest decision-makers have no real commitment to Bradford.
On the other hand, Pederson was on Philadelphia’s staff when the team drafted Foles in the third round of the 2012 season, and he served as Foles’ quarterbacks coach that year. In a second tweet, Schefter reports that Pederson is interested in bringing Foles back to the Eagles. Foles, for his part, was an abject failure in his first season with the Rams, completing just 56.4% of his passes and throwing seven touchdowns against ten interceptions in 11 games. He did, however, sign a two-year extension with the club prior to the beginning of the 2015 campaign, so he remains under contract through the 2017 season.
Neither Foles nor Bradford represents anything close to a perfect solution, but Bradford was clearly the superior player in 2015, and the fact that he managed to stay largely healthy and continued to improve down the stretch indicates that the team would be better off retaining him rather than attempting to reacquire Foles. That is especially true if Bradford can be had for a one-year deal, as former NFL agent Joel Corry suggested at the end of January. Even if the Eagles’ decision not to tag Bradford is understandable–after all, a $20MM commitment is a steep price for an imperfect player with a considerable injury history, and Bradford could always hold out–any attempts to bring back Foles at the expense of Bradford would be considerably less justifiable.
Nonetheless, it is worth noting that Roseman is known for his intentional misdirection, as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets, and now that he is back in charge of personnel matters, it is probably wise to take reports like this one with more than one grain of salt. Indeed, Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News has made his skepticism on the matter quite plain in a series of tweets.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
2015 NFL Award Winners
The NFL announced this season’s award winners at last night’s “NFL Honors” event. The complete list can be found here, but the highlights are as follows:
AP Most Valuable Player:
Cam Newton, QB, Panthers
AP Offensive Player of the Year:
Newton
AP Defensive Player of the Year:
J.J. Watt, DE, Texans
Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year:
Jameis Winston, QB, Buccaneers
AP Offensive Rookie of the Year:
Todd Gurley, RB, Rams
AP Defensive Rookie of the Year:
Marcus Peters, CB, Chiefs
AP Coach of the Year:
Ron Rivera, Panthers
AP Comeback Player of the Year:
Eric Berry, S, Chiefs
Walter Payton Man of the Year:
Anquan Boldin, WR, 49ers
2016 NFL Hall of Fame Class:
Brett Favre, QB; Kevin Greene, LB; Marvin Harrison, WR; Orlando Pace, OL; Tony Dungy, coach; Ken Stabler, QB; Dick Stanfel, OL; Eddie DeBartolo, owner
Extra Points: Benjamin, Steelers, Lang
Asked during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio (SoundCloud link) about his pending free agency, Browns wide receiver Travis Benjamin replied that “the ball is in my court,” suggesting that he hasn’t yet decided whether he’ll sign an extension with Cleveland or explore the open market. However, Benjamin said he’d like to return to the Browns, and his agent tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link) that he’s optimistic a deal can be completed soon.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- The Steelers used a nickel package for about 75% of their defensive snaps in 2015, which is one reason why the team figures to focus on improving its secondary again this offseason. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette discusses the Steelers’ need to target cornerbacks and safeties in the draft, and perhaps in free agency.
- After playing the 2015 season with two bad shoulders, Packers guard T.J. Lang will have one of those shoulders repaired this week. Lang told Rob Demovksy of ESPN.com that he’s scheduled to undergo surgery on his right shoulder on Wednesday. It’s not clear yet whether Lang, who is entering a contract year in 2016, will also have surgery on his left shoulder.
- There’s no doubt that adding Peyton Manning to their roster would give the Rams “plenty of sizzle” as they head back to Los Angeles, but the idea doesn’t make a lot of sense beyond that for Manning or the Rams, opines Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. A report earlier today indicated that the Rams have internally discussed the possibility of pursuing the Broncos quarterback, assuming he doesn’t retire.
Rams Have Discussed Pursuing Peyton Manning
It remains to be seen whether this Sunday’s game against the Panthers will be the last of Peyton Manning‘s playing career, but most people around the league believe it will be his last game as a Bronco, says Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. According to Schefter, the Rams are monitoring the Manning situation, and have had internal discussions about bringing him to Los Angeles if he wants to continue his career.
A report surfaced earlier this week suggesting that Manning has told some friends that he expects to retire following the Super Bowl, and that comes on the heels of the veteran quarterback telling Bill Belichick after the AFC Championship game that this could be his “last rodeo.” However, speaking to reporters this week, Manning downplayed his “last rodeo” comments, and said he’d like to meet the “close friends” who are privy to his plans, suggesting that he hasn’t made a decision on his future yet.
Manning is coming off the least productive season of his long NFL career, and will turn 40 in March. Throw in the fact that he’s owed a $19MM base salary for 2016, and it’s easy to see why he might not be in the Broncos’ plans for next season, even if he decides not to retire. Brock Osweiler is eligible for free agency this winter, and Denver is expected to try to lock him up to a deal that would pay him starter-type money.
If Manning’s career continues somewhere besides Denver, Los Angeles seems like a viable destination — last week, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com identified it as perhaps the most logical potential landing spot for the former first overall pick. From the Rams’ perspective, adding a future Hall-of-Fame quarterback like Manning would help build some buzz as the team moves west from St. Louis. Currently, Nick Foles and restricted free agent Case Keenum are projected to compete for the starting job, so the team could use some veteran help at the position.
In 2015, Manning nearly led the league in interceptions, with 17, despite only playing 10 regular-season games. He also completed just 59.8% of his passes, his lowest mark since his rookie year, and his QB rating of 67.9 was a career worst. However, he has looked a little better in the postseason, having not thrown an interception in wins over the Steelers and Patriots.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Chargers To Remain In San Diego For 2016
Chargers owner Dean Spanos has issued a statement announcing that his franchise will remain in San Diego for the 2016 season, rather than immediately joining the Rams in Los Angeles. The Chargers will have until January 15, 2017 to move to L.A. if they so choose, but Spanos intends to work with the city of San Diego to try to come up with a long-term stadium solution to avoid relocation.
[RELATED: Rams, Chargers agree in principle to L.A. deal]
“Today I decided our team will stay in San Diego for the 2016 season and I hope for the long term in a new stadium,” Spanos said in his statement. “I have met with Mayor [Kevin] Faulconer and Supervisor [Ron] Roberts and I look forward to working closely with them and the business community to resolve our stadium dilemma. We have an option and an agreement with the Los Angeles Rams to go to Inglewood in the next year, but my focus is on San Diego.
“This has been our home for 55 years, and I want to keep the team here and provide the world-class stadium experience you deserve.”
As he alludes to in his remarks, Spanos’ announcement comes on the heels of the Rams and Chargers agreeing in principle to a deal that would see the team sharing a stadium in Inglewood. If the Chargers ultimately decide that the situation in San Diego is untenable, the team will still have the opportunity to team up with Stan Kroenke and the Rams in Los Angeles.
For now though, the Chargers remain focused on San Diego, and the club’s agreement in principle with the Rams could help improve its leverage for stadium talks with Mayor Faulconer and other San Diego leaders. The proposal put forth by the city a month ago was deemed unsatisfactory by the NFL when it gave the Chargers approval to relocate.
Although the Chargers will have most of the year to attempt to work with San Diego to come up with an improved stadium plan, the team thinks it might know within the next two or three months if a solution will be doable, tweets Jim Trotter of ESPN.com.
As commissioner Roger Goodell notes in a statement issued today (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today), the NFL has committed an extra $100MM – on top of its usual $200MM – to help the Chargers get something done in San Diego. That extra money, along with the team’s Inglewood agreement, could help grease the wheels as the two sides resume negotiations.
Spanos’ decision leaves the Raiders in limbo for now. Mark Davis‘ team will have the opportunity to follow the Rams in Los Angeles if the Chargers ultimately remain in San Diego, but because the Chargers’ final decision isn’t due until at least 2017, L.A. and San Diego both remain off the table as relocation options for the Raiders for the time being.
As they wait to see where the Chargers land, Davis and the Raiders figure to explore other cities, including San Antonio and Las Vegas, though it seems likely that the club will play in Oakland for at least the 2016 season.
As for the Rams, Kroenke is likely pleased to have the market to himself for the 2016 season, giving him a head-start on any other team that may eventually join him in Inglewood. The one downside for Kroenke is that the Rams reportedly can’t begin selling suites or personal seat licenses until at least February 2017 without a second team joining them in L.A.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Rams, Chargers Agree In Principle To L.A. Deal
The Rams and Chargers have agreed in principle to a deal that would see the two franchises sharing an NFL stadium in Inglewood, reports Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. While such an agreement allows the Chargers to move to Los Angeles as early as 2016, the club has yet to officially make that decision.
As Acee explains, the Chargers will have until January 15, 2017 to announce whether or not the team will exercise its option to move to Los Angeles. If the club confirms in the coming weeks that it will make the move, relocation could occur immediately, for the 2016 season — the Chargers have already reportedly bought land in Santa Ana to potentially use for a team headquarters, and the L.A. Coliseum is expected to allow a second NFL team to join the Rams there on a temporary basis.
However, the Chargers could also use the agreement as leverage to attempt to work something out with the city of San Diego. If the team decides to try to make things work in its current home, it could spend the 2016 season at Qualcomm while negotiating with the city, in the hopes of coming up with a viable stadium plan before next January.
According to Acee, the Chargers’ deadline to make its Los Angeles decision could even be extended to 2018 if the team gets a stadium initiative on the ballot in San Diego this year. The extra year would allow for legal challenges or a second election. If the Chargers ultimately reach an agreement with the city of San Diego to remain there, the Raiders would get the opportunity to join the Rams in Inglewood.
With an agreement between the Rams and Chargers in place, the next step is for Chargers owner Dean Spanos to make a decision on the team’s short-term – and potentially long-term – home. If the team intends to move to Los Angeles for the 2016 season, it will have to make that decision by March 23, though an announcement one way or the other is expected to come well before then.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Draft Rumors: Titans, Browns, J. Smith, Cowboys
The NFL season isn’t over yet, but teams around the league are already looking ahead to the draft April, spending this week meeting with and scouting players at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Checking in from Mobile, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report has several interesting draft-related tidbits to pass along, so let’s dive right in and check out the highlights….
- The “biggest buzz” at the Senior Bowl this week is that the Titans are “absolutely” shopping the first overall pick in the draft, says Miller. General managers from rival teams expect the Browns and Rams to have the most interest in trading up to No. 1, though Cleveland exec Sashi Brown said earlier this week that he’d be shocked if his team moves up from No. 2.
- Wherever the Browns end up picking, the expectation around the league is that they’ll target a quarterback, and Miller has heard all week from scouts that Cleveland prefers Carson Wentz to Jared Goff.
- Jaylon Smith, who tore his ACL and LCL in the Fiesta Bowl, is already rehabbing twice a day as he recovers from the major knee injury, sources tell Miller. The Saints are among the clubs keeping a close eye on the Notre Dame linebacker, and it still appears likely that he’ll come off the board in the top half of the first round.
- Miller’s sources don’t expect Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to use his team’s first-round pick on Tony Romo‘s backup and eventual successor. According to Miller, Dallas is more likely to roll the dice on a player like Robert Griffin III or Johnny Manziel — not necessarily as Romo’s successor, but at least as a short-term backup.
- Sources inside the Texans tell Miller that Houston figures to focus on the offensive side of the ball with its first few picks in the draft.
- Miller identifies Louisiana Tech defensive tackle Vernon Butler, Clemson wide receiver Charone Peake, and Temple defensive tackle Matt Ioannidis as some prospects that have improved their stock this week in Mobile.
West Notes: Chargers, Kaepernick, Manning
Those familiar with the proposal put on the table in Houston earlier this month for a Rams/Chargers partnership tell Sam Farmer and Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times that it makes more sense for the second team – the Chargers – to be a tenant instead of a co-owner for the Rams’ stadium project. As such, if the Chargers end up moving to Los Angeles, it will probably be as Stan Kroenke‘s tenant.
As Farmer and Fenno explain, the proposal that surfaced in Houston has remained relatively unchanged for the last two and a half weeks, so the current situation is viewed as “less of a back-and-forth negotiation than a choice confronting the Chargers.”
As we wait to find out what the Chargers decide, let’s check in on some items from around the NFL’s West divisions…
- Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, 49ers CEO Jed York pointed to the team’s salary cap room as one reason why it’s viable for Colin Kaepernick to remain in San Francisco in 2016. “This is a fresh start for everybody,” York said, per Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News. “Colin needs to get back healthy, be ready to come in and compete, and we’ll see where it goes.”
- Joel Corry of CBSSports.com examines Peyton Manning‘s options if the future Hall-of-Famer decides to continue his career in 2016. Corry believes the Rams look like a logical suitor for Manning if the Broncos decided they didn’t want to keep him.
- Chip Kelly has added another assistant to his coaching staff, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the 49ers have hired Colts safeties coach Roy Anderson as their defensive backs coach.
- Former Bears assistant Skip Peete is joining the Rams as the team’s new running backs coach, a source tells Thayer Evans of SI.com. Peete has previously served as the RBs coach in Oakland, Dallas, and Chicago.
- After undergoing surgery for Papillary Type 2 last spring, Seahawks defensive tackle Jesse Williams, who spent the 2015 season on the non-football illness list, tweets that he has been cleared to return to action. Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times provides some details on Williams, who is eligible for exclusive rights free agency.
Rams GM Talks L.A., Coliseum, Keenum, Foles
Rams general manager Les Snead is in attendance at this week’s Senior Bowl to complete some prep work for the 2016 draft, but Snead has more on his plate than most GMs around the league this year, as his team prepares to pack up and make the move from St. Louis to Los Angeles. Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times spoke to Snead about the relocation to L.A. and a number of other Rams-related topics, so let’s dive in and check out a few of the GM’s more noteworthy comments.
On playing in the Coliseum while waiting for the Inglewood stadium to open:
“The Coliseum is such an historic place; that will be neat for our players. I think our players will really enjoy being outdoors. And judging from the initial ticket [deposits] and having a relatively full Coliseum, any pitfall there is, all those things will outweigh it by a long shot.”
On any concerns about how moving to a large market like L.A. will affect players:
“I’ve definitely thought about it because it’s a larger market with more distractions…. I do know that some of the teams have been very, very successful in L.A., on the field, on the court and in the rink. So it’s proven that you can be a professional athlete and be young and still thrive…. I definitely think it would be prudent to go out and visit some of those teams and see how they handle it and go from there.”
On the possibility of re-signing quarterback Case Keenum, who is a restricted free agent:
“That is a goal. We’re not going to let him go somewhere else.”
On keeping Nick Foles as a backup “at something like $12-13MM”:
“His contract is not exactly that. I don’t want to get into the exact numbers, but it’s about half of that [Ed. note: Foles is owed a $6MM roster bonus and $1.75MM base salary in 2016]. There’s a lot of things that get written about contracts. The answer from a salary standpoint is, yes, he’s easily keepable.”
On the possibility of drafting a quarterback early this spring:
“You definitely have to prepare that you might do it.… Sometimes with QBs we’ve seen some very successful ones go in the second round, and the third round seems to be hot of late. I’m thinking of Russell Wilson. I’m thinking of Kirk Cousins [fourth round]. So the thing about the draft is, because it’s become a nice entertainment segment … there’s so much attention on the first round, especially at the QB position, that sometimes the third-round QB, it’s ‘Oh, he’s a third-round QB.’ But the long story short on all of that is we’ll definitely scout QBs, and we’ll definitely look at the trade market and free-agent market.”
On whether the Rams’ offensive line is mostly set:
“The answer is yes…. Last year we went into [the draft] needing [offensive linemen]. Four of our five starters from the 2014 team, when we went to draft, still weren’t on our roster for various reasons. We needed to draft, develop some guys and let them grow together … we think we’re on our way to see it come to fruition.”