NFC West Notes: 49ers, Finley, Rams
The 49ers have had some wildly successful draft classes in recent years, and Sports On Earth’s Dan Pompei has a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at the team’s 2014 draft. The author explains the strategy and thinking that went into each selection.
The team’s first-round pick, safety Jimmie Ward, wasn’t necessarily expected to be an early pick. While some teams focused on his injury and size, the 49ers focused on a strategy used by former Jets’ duo Bill Parcels and Dick Haley. General manager Trent Baalke said he learned that there are “few players who can perform at a high level regardless of system.” As a result, a coach should draft a player who fits nicely into their scheme.
“I learned that a long time ago,” said Baalke. “Coach Parcells was the guy I looked at and learned the most from, he and Dick Haley. That was always the question with them, how do they fit what we are going to ask him to do? For us, it’s critical.”
The author has other interesting insight, including the team’s selection of basketball player Bruce Ellington and trade for Steve Johnson.
Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFC West…
- The Seahawks are out of the Jermichael Finley sweepstakes, sources tell Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com added that Seattle was the player’s only free agent visit (via Twitter), but agent Blake Baratz said the tight end had a visit scheduled this past Friday with an unknown team.
- The Seahawks handling of Doug Baldwin‘s extension shows that the organization will reward a performing player regardless of how they were acquired, writes Larry Stone of The Seattle Times. The writer says that the receiver is “emblematic of their incredible knack for not only unearthing talent, but for manifesting the Darwinian forces that allow smart, tough, motivated players to thrive.”
- The Rams will likely make an effort to extend Pro Bowl punter Johnny Hekker, writes ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner.
- When looking at adding veterans, a linebacker may be the most likely addition for the Rams, Wagoner says in his chat. He adds that Will Witherspoon could be that guy.
- While evaluating the Rams‘ depth on the offensive line, Wagoner concludes that there are eight players competing for four or five spots. He says the team could also carry fewer lineman due to the versatility of Rodger Saffold, Greg Robinson and Barrett Jones.
- Following the announcement of Daryl Washington‘s season-long suspension, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com opines that the Cardinals need to cut ties with the linebacker. The writer believes that Washington’s priorities are “not in line with those of an elite player” and that he shouldn’t be given a third chance following his other suspension in 2013.
Rams Sign Davin Joseph
THURSDAY, 2:25pm: According to Marvez (via Twitter), Joseph’s new one-year deal is worth $1.75MM, with a $1.1MM base salary, a $300K roster bonus, and $350K in additional per-game roster bonuses.
WEDNESDAY, 9:37am: The Rams have officially signed Joseph, the team announced today (via Twitter).
TUESDAY, 4:23pm: While it’s not a done deal yet, the Rams are finalizing their agreement with Joseph, which will be a one-year contract, tweets Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.
3:40pm: The Rams are set to sign veteran offensive lineman Davin Joseph, reports Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (via Twitter). Terms of the agreement have yet to be reported.
Joseph, 30, spent the first eight seasons of his NFL career with the Buccaneers, starting 99 of the 100 games he played for the team. A two-time Pro Bowler, Joseph missed the 2012 season with a torn patellar tendon and provided subpar play at right guard last year upon his return, despite starting all 16 games. According to Pro Football Focus’ advanced grades (subscription required), Joseph ranked second-last among 81 qualified guards in 2013. The former first-rounder was released by Tampa Bay earlier in the offseason.
For the Rams, Joseph should provide some veteran depth on an offensive line that saw guards Shelley Smith and Chris Williams sign elsewhere in free agency. Despite losing those two regulars, St. Louis addressed the line by re-signing Rodger Saffold to a lucrative five-year contract and selecting Greg Robinson with the No. 2 pick in this month’s draft, so Joseph shouldn’t be pressed into a starting role, barring an injury.
NFC Links: Giants, Buccaneers, Rams
A handful of ESPN’s NFC writers were kind enough to give us some reading material on this holiday. Let’s take a look at some interesting notes from those articles…
- “Economics” was the main reason why the Giants didn’t pursue a pass rusher like Michael Johnson in free agency, says ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano. The team already has some depth at defensive end, and Graziano thinks the Giants were wise to use their resources elsewhere.
- Graziano also thinks it makes sense for the Giants to start Adrien Robinson at tight end. Instead of bringing in a veteran, the writer says they might as well roll with the player they’ve been developing.
- ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas thinks it’s a good idea for the Buccaneers to extend defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. The writer suggests a contract worth about $13MM annually and says the steep price is worth it for the team’s best player.
- Rams running backs Zac Stacy, Benny Cunningham and Tre Mason are set to hold their respect jobs “for the foreseeable future,” writes ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner. This means running backs Isaiah Pead and Chase Reynolds are likely competing for one job. Wagoner says undrafted rookies Kadeem Jones and Trey Watts could also join that competition.
Extra Points: Contracts, Vikings, Football In LA
In his weekly Sunday column, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe describes an interesting phenomenon regarding “offset language.” Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill was the first top-10 pick to have offset language put into his contract, language that allows a team to avoid paying the full balance of a player’s salary if the player is cut and signed by another team. Since the 2011 CBA essentially reduced all rookie contracts to little more than boilerplate, Volin notes that the issue of offset language is one of the few negotiating points left.
In exchange for the salary offset, the Dolphins converted half of Tannehill’s base salary into bonus money, and eight of the top 12 draft picks in last year’s draft had similar language inserted into their deals. Of the top picks in the 2014 class that have already signed, only Raiders‘ LB Khalil Mack and Falcons‘ OT Jake Matthews have offset provisions in their contracts, but more are sure to come. For your edification, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets a complete definition of the term “contract offsets.”
Now let’s have a look at some notes from around the league:
- Chargers GM Tom Telesco held an online chat with fans earlier this week, and a couple of interesting tidbits came out of it. For instance, Telesco addresses his team’s relatively conservative approach to free agency this season and writes that this year was more about re-signing core players than making a splash with players from other clubs.
- Albert Breer of the NFL Network touched on a couple of rookie storylines in a brief segment on the network’s Total Access program, noting that the Rams plan to start first-round pick Greg Robinson at left guard in his rookie season–much like the Ravens did with Hall-of-Fame LT Jonathan Ogden in Ogden’s rookie year–and the Cowboys will start Zack Martin at right guard.
- Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch lists 10 reasons as to why Sam Bradford remains the Rams’ best option under center.
- Breer also tweets that the Vikings will allow Christian Ponder, Matt Cassel, and Teddy Bridegwater to get reps with the first team in the offseason, but they would like to go into training camp with an established depth chart.
- Tim Graham of the Buffalo News writes that, although Bills fans have been worried about the team’s potential relocation to Los Angeles for years, neither the Bills nor any other club in the league will be heading to Hollywood anytime soon. According to Graham, there are just too many political, social, and historical obstacles for Los Angeles to land an NFL team in the foreseeable future.
- Citing a league source, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes that a new league policy concerning DUI infractions is on the horizon. Once the league and the players’ union iron out the last few details surrounding HGH testing, the NFL will implement the policy, which would impose a one-game suspension and fine for a first DUI offense. Currently, the league punishes first-time DUI offenders with a two-game fine; a suspension is not typically imposed until a player is convicted of a second DUI.
- Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune tweets that Mike Glennon definitely has a chance at starting for the Buccaneers this year, and will get his opportunity should Josh McCown get hurt or falter.
NFC Mailbags: Redskins, Rams, Panthers, Lions
It’s Saturday, and that means a fresh batch of mailbags from ESPN.com’s NFL writers. Let’s take a look at some from around the NFC…
- Trent Murphy was certainly a fallback option for Brian Orakpo, but that doesn’t mean Orakpo won’t re-sign with the Redskins, says John Keim. He adds that the smart move would be to keep both players.
- Rams‘ writer Nick Wagoner thinks the team will carry three quarterbacks, including Garrett Gilbert. He cautions that the rookie is not a lock to make the roster.
- The money that the Rams would gain from cutting Austin Pettis could be enticing, Wagoner says. Stedman Bailey‘s suspension might mean that Pettis is sticking around, though.
- Wagoner thinks the team will bring in a veteran linebacker, similar to what the team did last season with Will Witherspoon.
- The Panthers will definitely be adding players as they’re cut from other teams, writes David Newton. The writer says General Manager Dave Gettleman is “saving money under the salary cap for a rainy day.”
- The Lions could potentially keep six wide receivers on their 53-man roster, says Michael Rothstein. He lists Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate as locks and believes Jeremy Ross will find a spot. He says one of Kris Durham, Kevin Ogletree and Naaman Roosevelt will make the roster, as well as one of T.J. Jones and Ryan Broyles. His wild card for the sixth spot would be Corey Fuller.
- Rothstein doesn’t think the Lions should make a move right now for Asante Samuel. He adds that they could make a move for a cornerback eventually, especially if Chris Houston can’t return.
- Dwayne Harris‘ job is safe with the Cowboys, opines Todd Archer. Besides being a solid wideout, his skills on special teams make him a lock.
Extra Points: Matthews, Gordon, Rams, Pats
It’s a new day when it comes to rookie contracts in the NFL, writes former exec Andrew Brandt for The MMQB. Of course, salaries and contract length are now predetermined for every pick, taking the negotiating out of the process. Because of that, many players are questioning why they need to have an agent to handle rookie contracts at all. Here’s more from around the league..
- Falcons first round pick Jake Matthews will receive a $10.269MM signing bonus on his four-year, $16.435MM guaranteed deal, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. As is the case for the rest of his fellow first-rounders, the deal for the No. 6 overall pick also includes a fifth-year option.
- Browns General Manager Ray Farmer said that he doesn’t think a superstar receiver is crucial to a team’s success, which may not bode well for Josh Gordon‘s long-term future with the club, writes Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer. “I would say ‘how important are those guys?”’ Farmer told 92.3 The Fan. “Name the last big-time receiver to win a Super Bowl. Name the last mega-guy. (Gordon) matters to me because I like the guy and I think he’s a really good player, but at the end of the day, when you look at the teams that have these mega-receivers, name the last guy that won a Super Bowl?… There are none. The last guy that really helped his team get there was T.O. (Terrell Owens).”
- The Rams signed undrafted free agent wide receiver Jordan Harris, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. The Baylor product racked up over 2,200 yards over the last two years.
- The Patriots announced that they have signed first-year defensive back Daxton Swanson out of Sam Houston State and undrafted free agent defensive lineman L.T. Tuipulotu from Utah. To make room, the Pats released rookie free agent safety Jeremy Deering (Rutgers) and first-year wide receiver Greg Orton (Purdue).
- Packers free agent Jermichael Finley tweeted out that he has received “Awesome News!” with the hashtag “#IWillRiseAgain” which could be an indictation that he has been cleared to play. Finley, once regarded as one of the best tight ends in the NFL, missed the bulk of last season.
Checking In On Draft Pick Signings
Under old NFL Collective Bargaining Agreements, the time between the draft and the regular season represented a period of uncertainty for many rookies, with no assurances that contracts would get signed before training camps opened in the summer. However, the current CBA has expedited the process significantly, essentially locking in signing bonus and contract values by draft slot, meaning that deals are being completed faster than ever and holdouts are becoming a thing of the past.
With the help of our list of draft pick signings by team, here are a few details on which contracts have been finalized so far, and which ones still need to be signed:
- 139 draftees have signed, or at least agreed to terms, so far. Since 256 players were drafted in total, that leaves 117 who still have to sign.
- Although more than half of this year’s draft picks have been locked up, that ratio doesn’t extend to first-rounders. Only six of those 32 players have reached agreements with their respective clubs so far — Khalil Mack (No. 5), Anthony Barr (No. 9), Odell Beckham Jr. (No. 12), Kyle Fuller (No. 14), Brandin Cooks (No. 20), and Teddy Bridgewater (No. 32). There shouldn’t be any problems with the contracts for any first-round picks, but there are a few more details to negotiate for those players, including overall guaranteed money.
- Conversely, the deals for seventh-rounders are less complicated to work out, so it’s not surprising that 33 of 41 seventh-round picks have agreed to terms on their deals. Four of those eight unsigned seventh-rounders were drafted by the Rams, who have yet to sign any of their picks.
- The Saints and Bears made quick work of the draft pick signing period, having signed all of their 2014 draftees to rookie contracts already. The Chargers, Colts, and Giants each have just one player left to lock up.
- On the other hand, several clubs are taking their time to sign their draft picks, or at least are in no rush to announce those deals — in addition to the Rams, the Broncos, Bengals, Dolphins, and Browns have yet to ink any rookie contracts.
- To check out the pick-by-pick breakdown of signing bonuses and contract values for each draft slot, be sure to visit OverTheCap.com.
Minor Moves: Grant, Bucs, Panthers, Morris
Here’s a look at tonight’s minor moves..
- Free agent linebacker Larry Grant, who started eight games for the Rams back in 2010, has signed with the Browns, according to agent David Canter (Twitter link). In recent seasons, Grant spent time with the 49ers and Bears, though he appeared in just two games last year before being cut.
- The Buccaneers have agreed to sign undrafted free agent tight end Cameron Brate out of Harvard, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Panthers announced that they have signed fourth-round pick Tre Boston and fifth-round selection Bene’ Benwikere, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Boston, a strong safety out of North Carolina, is a converted cornerback.
- The Patriots announced that they have released rookie linebacker James Morris. Morris, an undrafted free agent out of Iowa, was signed by the Pats just four days ago. Morris, 22, was just the sixth player in Iowa history to record 400 career tackles after finishing with 400 tackles, 10 1/2 sacks and six interceptions as a three-year starter.
- Former Iowa State safety Jacques Washington has been invited to the Dolphins‘ rookie mini-camp this weekend, according to agent Donte Robinson (on Twitter). Washington was second in the Big 12 in tackles per game (9.9) this past season and was a three-year starting free safety for the Cyclones.
- The Raiders cut veteran defensive lineman David Carter, Wilson tweets. Carter, 26, signed a reserves/futures deal with Oakland back in January.
- The Rams were awarded Travis Bond off waivers from the Panthers, tweets Wilson. Carolina dropped Bond yesterday while signing punter Jordan Gay.
- The Raiders signed undrafted free agent defensive end Denico Autry, tweets Wilson.
- The Browns signed undrafted defensive back K’Waun Williams, tweets Wilson. At Pittsburgh last season, Williams led the team with seven pass breakups and was second with two interceptions.
- The Texans were awarded Conor Boffeli off waivers from the Vikings and Anthony Dima from the Browns, Wilson tweets.
Peter King On Seventh-Round Picks
Seventh-round picks do not always get a chance to make an immediate impact on the field as rookies. However, these picks do have a very good chance of sticking around and collecting a pay check for a year. Last year’s draft saw 48 seventh rounders selected (including compensatory picks). 47 of those players either spent time on the active roster, practice squad, or for the unlucky few, spent the season on injured reserve lists hoping to get another chance the following year. This ESPN stat was shared by Peter King of SI.com (via Twitter).
The frenzy surrounding whether or not a seventh rounder sticks on a team is mostly applied to the fate of Michael Sam with the Rams. King is confident that this shows that Michael Sam should be able to avoid getting cut (via Twitter). Even if Sam is not on the active roster, chances are he will find another role with the team. Hopefully, that role will not be with the injured guys who have to watch the season from the sidelines.
King also writes that Rams defensive coordinator Greg Williams will give Sam every chance to succeed. Sam’s situation is further complicated by the backlash the team would receive it it does cut him.
He has always made his missteps, such as the idea to have a documentary crew follow him around. Luckily, Sam and the Rams were able to postpone the story, so Sam would be able to start his NFL career like a normal late-round pick.
While Sam has gotten the most attention in round seven, there are dozen of players who face similar uncertainties when it come to roster construction. Even if the players are able to make the active roster, getting on the field for anything more than special teams will still be difficult. It is encouraging that so many of these middle of the road prospects were able to find a way to stick through year one, in the ultra-competitive NFL.
AFC Notes: Bills, Ravens, Richardson, Broncos
The Bills made one of the biggest splashes during the first round of last week’s draft when they traded up to fourth overall to land wide receiver Sammy Watkins. Although the team was able to land its man at No. 4, Buffalo made efforts to move up even higher than that, as director of player personnel Jim Monos confirmed in a video on the club’s website.
“We went with Houston right off the bat,” Monos said. “We tried to go to No. 1. They weren’t having it. They knew who they wanted, so we started working our way right down.”
The video hints that the Bills also spoke to the Jaguars about the possibility of moving up to No. 3, since Jacksonville’s target at that spot was unclear. As for the Rams, Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk notes that there are strong signals Buffalo spoke to them about the No. 2 pick as well.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Ohio State quarterback Kenny Guiton headlines the invitees at the Bills‘ rookie minicamp, notes Mike Rodak of ESPN.com in a pair of tweets.
- The Ravens are considering placing a waiver claim on running back Daryl Richardson, who was cut by the Rams yesterday, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
- While some teams are auditioning dozens of players during this week’s rookie minicamp, the Broncos just have eight invitees in camp, hoping to earn roster spots, as Mike Klis of the Denver Post details.