NFC Notes: Panthers, Allen, Rams, Bucs, Lions
Speaking to reporters today, including ESPN.com’s David Newton, head coach Ron Rivera attempted to clear the air when it came to the Panthers‘ decision to release Steve Smith. While there had been a belief that Smith was viewed as a locker-room distraction, that wasn’t the case, according to Rivera, who said the decision was purely a football one.
“This is not a fly-by-night decision,” Rivera said. “This was not a personal decision…. There was nothing personal about it. I’m a little disappointed that so many people reacted the way they did without truly understanding there was a lot of things that go into this. This was not a willy-nilly, fly-by-night vengeful thing. This was a very calculated [decision].”
Here’s more from around the NFC, with a focus on head coaches’ comments from Orlando….
- Rivera also made it clear this morning that the Panthers will be drafting at least one receiver, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
- Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who originally reported that Jared Allen was expected to sign with the Seahawks, hears from the defensive end that the Bears entered the mix for him at the last minute.
- Rams head coach Jeff Fisher told reporters today, including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link), that his team hasn’t had trade talks involving the No. 2 pick at this point. Of course, that’s not to say discussions won’t occur at some point.
- The Rams will host Texas A&M offensive tackle Jake Matthews for a private workout, according to Fisher (Twitter link via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch).
- Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter links) passes along a couple highlights from Lovie Smith‘s conversation with the media today. According to the Buccaneers head coach, the team feels good about Josh McCown and Mike Glennon but could add another quarterback in the draft. Smith also said that extending Gerald McCoy‘s contract is a priority: “We want him around for a long time.”
- Before tight end Jim Dray signed with the Browns, Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians was very interested in bringing Dray back to the Cardinals, tweets Nate Ulrich.
- Lions head coach Jim Caldwell said today that the club would like to add a pass-rushing outside linebacker, and are looking for “a little bit different flavor” rusher to pair with Ezekiel Ansah, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
- Caldwell and Lions GM Martin Mayhew will both attend Texas A&M’s Pro Day tomorrow to check out wide receiver Mike Evans, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter).
Rams Favorites To Sign Kenny Britt?
Free agent wide receiver Kenny Britt appears to be narrowing down his options, and Rams GM Les Snead believes Britt will ultimately decide on St. Louis. In an interview with Pro Football Talk, Snead pegged his team’s chances of signing Britt at “better than 50%.”
Although a number of Titans players have been linked to St. Louis, where former Tennessee head coach Jeff Fisher is now working, the Rams aren’t the only team in the mix for Britt. The wide receiver has also visited the Redskins, Bills, and Patriots, and has drawn interest from the Seahawks and Panthers, as we heard earlier this week.
Pats owner Robert Kraft said New England won’t be signing Britt, and Titans GM Ruston Webster confirmed to PFT’s Mike Florio that the 25-year-old won’t be back in Tennessee. However, that still leaves the Redskins and Bills as potential threats to the Rams. It’s not clear whether there’s serious mutual interest between Britt and the Seahawks or Panthers.
Britt, a former first-round pick, has seen his first few NFL seasons frequently derailed by injuries and off-field issues, but still has plenty of upside. In 2010, arguably his best season, he racked up 775 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in just 12 contests.
NFC Notes: Newton, Cowboys, Suh, Rams
Although the Panthers would like to eventually reach an agreement with quarterback Cam Newton that keeps him in Carolina for several years, for now the club expects to take advantage of its fifth-year option for 2015, GM Dave Gettleman confirmed today. As a top-10 pick in 2011, Newton will be in line for a fifth-year salary worth the amount of the quarterback transition tag. Here are a few more updates from across the NFC:
- Like the Panthers, the Cowboys hope to lock up their own 2011 first-rounder, Tyron Smith, for the long-term, but in the meantime, “all signs point to” the club exercising its fifth-year option for 2015 on Smith, according to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News.
- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones dismissed the idea that his team is in rebuilding mode, as Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com details.
- Lions president Tom Lewand confirmed today that he has been in contact with Jimmy Sexton, the agent for Ndamukong Suh. However, the two sides won’t meet in Orlando to discuss an extension for Suh, since Lewand doesn’t believe it’s an ideal setting to do business (Twitter links via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
- Jimmy Graham of the Saints and Greg Hardy of the Panthers are still on the franchise tag for now, but Saints owner Tom Benson is very confident New Orleans will work out a multiyear deal with Graham sooner or later, writes Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune. As for Hardy, Gettleman says the Panthers are letting the smoke clear before revisiting a potential long-term contract for the star defensive end, tweets David Newton of ESPN.com.
- Although the Rams may have some interest in Mark Sanchez, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch believes that interest is tepid at best.
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reports (via Twitter) that both players the Rams signed on Monday received minimum-salary deals, with Greg Reid inking a three-year contract and Etienne Sabino signing for one year. Neither pact included a bonus.
NFC West Notes: ’Hawks, 49ers, Cards, Rams
Achieving dynasty status is very, very difficult in today’s parity-driven NFL where salary cap restraints dictate constant roster fluctuation. The Seahawks are equipped to defy the odds, however, believes ESPN.com’s Jeffri Chadiha, who says, “What the Seahawks have working in their favor is the knowledge that they’ve put themselves ahead of their competition with creative scouting and innovative management.”
In other NFC West division notes:
- The 49ers, who already boast one of the league’s deepest rosters, now possess six of the first 100 picks in the upcoming draft. Accordingly, the team has the currency to be very aggressive, writes ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson.
- Cardinals GM Steve Keim will travel to Montreal on Thursday to be on hand for the pro day of Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, an ascending Canadian offensive tackle prospect, according to John Kryk of the Ottawa Sun. Duvernay-Tardif shares some similarities to the Cardinals’ new left tackle Jared Veldheer, who signed a five-year deal earlier this month. Like Veldheer, who was drafted in the third round of the 2010 draft out of Hillsdale College, Duvernay-Tardif is an under-the-radar, relatively raw prospect with intriguing tools to coach up. He also has outstanding intangibles, an element of the scouting report that helped land Veldheer in free agency, as Keim explained in a brief video interview with CBS Sports. Duvernay-Tardif, who will also fly to meet with the Cardinals, has other visits scheduled with the Seahawks and Browns, says ESPN’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter).
- Meanwhile, Cardinals standout linebacker Daryl Washington pleaded guilty to aggravated assault stemming from a domestic violence incident last year, reports Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. Washington, who received the first installment of a $10MM bonus option earlier this month, could face up to two years in prison when he is sentenced late next month.
- Offensive tackle is the top draft need for the Rams, according to NFL.com, and they’d be in position to draft Auburn’s Greg Robinson at the top of the first round.
2014 NFL Compensatory Draft Picks
The NFL has officially announced the 32 compensatory draft picks for 24 that have been handed out to teams who had the most significant losses in free agency a year ago. These picks are determined by a formula that accounts for salary, playing time, and postseason honors. Teams can’t receive more than four picks each, and this year’s selections were divided up among 13 clubs. Here’s the list of 2014 compensatory picks by team, with the round and overall selection number included:
- 49ers: 3rd (100)
- Bears: None
- Bengals: 6th (212), 7th (252)
- Bills: None
- Broncos: None
- Browns: None
- Buccaneers: None
- Cardinals: None
- Chargers: None
- Chiefs: None
- Colts: None
- Cowboys: 7th (248), 7th (251), 7th (254)
- Dolphins: None
- Eagles: None
- Falcons: 4th (139), 7th (253), 7th (255)
- Giants: 5th (174)
- Jaguars: None
- Jets: 4th (137), 6th (209), 6th (210), 6th (213)
- Lions: 4th (133), 4th (136)
- Packers: 3rd (98), 5th (176)
- Panthers: None
- Patriots: 4th (140)
- Raiders: None
- Rams: 6th (214), 7th (249), 7th (250)
- Ravens: 3rd (99), 4th (134), 4th (138), 5th (175)
- Redskins: None
- Saints: None
- Seahawks: None
- Steelers: 3rd (97), 5th (173), 6th (215)
- Texans: 4th (135), 6th (211), 7th (256)
- Titans: None
- Vikings: None
Rams Sign Greg Reid, Etienne Sabino
3:37pm: The signing of Reid officially came across the NFL transaction wire today, and was accompanied by news that the Rams had also signed linebacker Etienne Sabino, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Sabino, who played his college ball for Ohio State, signed as an undrafted free agent with the Giants last spring, but didn’t make the team’s regular season roster.
12:55pm: The Rams have signed former Florida State cornerback Greg Reid, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). Reid first announced the agreement himself on Facebook, as noted by RamblinFan.com.
Reid, a former Seminoles standout, saw his Florida State career derailed by injuries and off-field issues, and played his final college season at Valdosta State after being dismissed from FSU’s program. Reid, who went undrafted last year, worked out at FSU’s Pro Day earlier this month, showing that he had recovered from two ACL surgeries.
Rams Interested In Mark Sanchez
The NFL’s quarterback carousel has been busy this offseason, with Mark Sanchez representing the latest roster casualty, when the Jets replaced him with Michael Vick on Friday. However, Sanchez is drawing interest from at least one NFL team. Rams head coach Jeff Fisher tells Jim Corbett of USA Today that his team will at least kick the tires on the former Jet.
“I’d say that there is interest. I can’t say how much. But there certainly would be interest,” Fisher said. “I don’t have a backup with experience on the roster right now.”
Rams starter Sam Bradford is coming off an ACL injury, and his 2013 backup, Kellen Clemens, has signed with the Chargers in free agency. The current No. 2 in St. Louis, Austin Davis, has yet taken a snap in an NFL regular season game. As Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com noted in a weekend piece in which he identified the Rams as a top possibility for Sanchez, the ex-Jets signal-caller also has a connection to Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, who was previously the OC in New York for several seasons.
According to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Rams GM Les Snead also has interest in Sanchez, so Fisher isn’t on his own. However, if Sanchez plans to sign within the next day or two, it likely won’t be with the Rams, says Werder.
NFC Notes: Rams, Redskins, Cowboys, Falcons
The upcoming season has long been targeted as the year the Rams will be legitimate contenders. Accordingly, the team has “margin for error next to zero in the NFL draft,” says ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner. The Rams have been quiet in free agency, instead relying on the development of their young team and the potential to bolster the roster with draft picks, including two in the top 13, the first of which (No. 2 overall) is on the auction block. Wagoner asserts the time is now for the team to close the gap on Seattle and San Francisco, especially in the trenches. “…the most glaring difference between the Rams and their NFC West foes last year was how overmatched they were on the offensive line,” says Wagoner, who mentions tackles Greg Robinson (Auburn) and Jake Matthews (Texas A&M) as potential plug-and-play, impact options.
Other morning news and notes in the NFC:
- The Redskins have signed three inside linebackers this offseason, but the linebacker corps isn’t settled yet, writes Mike Jones of the Washington Post: “The Redskins would like for [Perry] Riley to emerge as the leader of the defense, and become an extension of [defensive coordinator] Jim Haslett. But that could take some time. Riley led Washington in tackles last season, but he tended to disappear at times.” Meanwhile, the other inside linebacker spot is “up for grabs” with Adam Hayward, Akeem Jordan and Darryl Sharpton set to compete.
- With Miles Austin out of the Cowboys’ plans, the team is open to adding a veteran receiver, writes ESPNDallas.com’s Calvin Watkins, who calls free agent Nate Burleson a “perfect fit.”
- The Cardinals will look to add depth and size on defense in the draft, writes ESPN.com’s John Weinfuss. More specifically, the team is searching for a prospect to groom as Darnell Dockett‘s replacement, a taller, more athletic safety capable of matching with tight ends and another body at inside linebacker.
- The Falcons, in desperate need of pass rush, will have a private workout with with UCLA rush linebacker Anthony Barr before the end of the month, according to ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure. Barr could be an option for the No. 6 pick if South Carolina’s Jadaveon Clowney is off the board. Buffalo’s Khalil Mack could also fit the bill, but he does not have a visit scheduled with the Falcons as of Friday.
- The Lions could have their pick of defensive backs with the 10th overall selection, speculates Dustin Hockensmith of pennlive.com.
FA Rumors: Colts, Blount, Allen, Britt, Finley
While the Colts aren’t necessarily done adding free agents, the team’s major moves have likely already been made, as GM Ryan Grigson told reporters today, including Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.
“You never say you’re done,” Grigson said. “We had a plan and we feel really good about it. We feel real good where we’re at right now. We’re going to look toward the draft. You never say never and we’re always trying to get better. If somebody pops up and they make sense from a roster standpoint and they kind of fit the specs – age and money, big picture – then I’ll look at it.”
As the Colts shift their free agent focus to the bargain bin, let’s check in on a few other afternoon items related to the open market:
- Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link) doesn’t see the Colts pursuing center Alex Mack any further, suggesting it always would have been a long shot to sign him away from the Browns.
- Free agent running back LeGarrette Blount, who continues to draw interest from the Patriots, is scheduled to visit the Steelers on Sunday night, league sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Pittsburgh also met with veteran running back Maurice Jones-Drew this week.
- As Jared Allen continues to mull his options, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links) weighs in with a couple tidbits: The veteran defensive end is considering three teams, with retirement also still an option, and should make a decision this weekend. As for Allen’s second visit with the Seahawks, it happened because key members of the organization weren’t at the first meeting, says Rapoport.
- Wide receiver Kenny Britt has visited the Rams, Patriots, Redskins, and Bills, and has also garnered interest from the Seahawks and Panthers, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to Florio, Britt will decide his next move this weekend, whether that means taking more visits or agreeing to sign with a team.
- Jermichael Finley may still be a few more months from being in position to sign with an NFL club, a source tells Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The free agent tight end continues to recover from a spinal injury, and hasn’t yet received medical clearance.
- At this point, the Panthers aren’t expected to sign Kevin Cone, Lestar Jean, or C.J. Akins, the three receivers they worked out today, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
NFC West Notes: Allen, McGlynn, L.A.
Free agent defensive end Jared Allen seemed on the verge of reaching an agreement with the Seahawks yesterday, but continues to deliberate for now. Allen seems to be not only weighing offers from the Seahawks and other suitors, but also considering whether he’ll even continue his career. While retirement seems unlikely for the veteran pass rusher, there were rumblings about that possibility earlier this month, and according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Allen told him at the start of free agency that there was a “walk-away number” he wouldn’t go below.
As we wait for Allen to make his decision, let’s round up a few other items from out of the NFC West:
- After meeting with the Redskins earlier this week, free agent offensive lineman Mike McGlynn will visit with the Rams, according to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter).
- If there’s someone “remotely associated with the NFL” who believes it was a coincidence that Rams owner Stan Kroenke purchased land in Los Angeles large enough to accommodate a stadium, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com has yet to meet that person. In a lengthy piece, La Canfora explores the possibility of the Rams or Raiders eventually making their way back to L.A.
- Antonio Cromartie’s one-year deal with the Cardinals has a base value of $3.5MM, and it’s guaranteed for almost the entire amount, says Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links). The contract includes a $1MM signing bonus, a $2.25MM guaranteed base salary, $25K in total per-game roster bonuses, and an extra $750K available via incentives.