AFC East Notes: Jets, Dolphins, Patriots
With June’s mandatory minicamps having come to an end, let’s round up a few items from around the AFC East….
- The Jets had a busy offseason, highlighted by the addition of a number of free agent cornerbacks. One of those new Jets cornerbacks, Buster Skrine, tells Don Banks of SI.com that he has never played on a defense with this much talent: “Our front seven has all-stars and then in the back end, we have all-stars. … We can match up with any offense.”
- Revisiting the to-do list he proposed for the Dolphins heading into the offseason, Dave Hyde of the South Florida Sun Sentinel observes that new executive VP of football operations Mike Tannenbaum checked off nearly all the boxes on that list, suggesting that the team’s offseason was a success.
- Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon is heading into a contract year and is eligible for a new contract. As Steve Gorten of the Palm Beach Post writes, with Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh getting plenty of attention from offensive lines, Vernon could be poised for a big year, which would set him up for a nice payday.
- Mike Reiss of ESPN.com takes a quick look at the Patriots‘ financial and cap situation, taking stock of where the team sits in relation to the rest of the NFL.
East Notes: Hardy, Manning, Bills, Dolphins
It’s been a busy day of news around the NFL, as most teams around the league prepare to begin their mandatory June minicamps. However, we don’t want to let any odds and ends slip through the cracks, so let’s turn our attention to the two East divisions and round up the latest items….
- As of this morning, arbitrator Harold Henderson had yet to officially make a decision on Greg Hardy‘s appeal of his 10-game suspension, tweets Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The hearing for the Cowboys defensive end took place way back on May 28, so an announcement should come any day now.
- Eli Manning has yet to sign a contract extension with the Giants, but Dan Graziano of ESPN.com believes that a significant injury is the only thing that would creating a parting of ways between the two-time Super Bowl MVP and the team after the 2015 season.
- With the Bills having been mentioned as a potential suitor for free agent guard Evan Mathis, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com takes a look at how much cap room the team could clear by parting ways with guard Chris Williams.
- Stepping in this week for Peter King, Jenny Vrentas of TheMMQB.com examines Mike Tannenbaum‘s first offseason with the Dolphins, writing that the team’s new executive VP of football operations hasn’t been afraid to keep his foot down on the gas pedal.
Ten Teams Placed Claims On Tim Wright
Tim Wright returned to his old team last week, when the tight end, having been cut by New England, landed with the Buccaneers, who have the NFL’s No. 1 waiver priority this offseason. However, Tampa Bay was far from the only club to place a claim on Wright. According to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter), nine other teams – 10 in total – submitted claims for the former Patriot.
Besides the Buccaneers, the teams that tried to land Wright before he reached free agency were the Jets, Bears, Falcons, Browns, Saints, Dolphins, Chiefs, Steelers, and Lions, says Yates. Most of those clubs have somewhat uncertain tight end situations — for instance, the Browns and Saints recently lost Jordan Cameron and Jimmy Graham, respectively, and the Bears aren’t sure when Martellus Bennett will report to the team.
The myriad suitors for Wright makes it even more surprising that the Patriots simply waived him last week. The young tight end just turned 25, and had racked up 80 receptions, including 11 touchdowns, in his first two years in the NFL. With Scott Chandler now in New England, Wright may not have fit into the team’s future plans, but the number of waiver claims placed for him suggests that the Pats might have been able to squeeze at least a late-round pick out of an interested club.
The Bucs have taken advantage of their top waiver priority multiple times so far this offseason, with the addition of Wright simply acting as the latest example. Tampa Bay also added former Browns punter Spencer Lanning via waivers last week, and claimed veteran safety D.J. Swearinger back in May.
AFC East Notes: Mosley, Vollmer, Vick
The Dolphins‘ late addition of C.J. Mosley, on a strong recommendation from their slightly higher-profile ex-Lions defensive line newcomer, came as a result of concerns about the depth toward the bottom of their depth chart, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Mosley, who will make just more than $1MM in what will be his 11th season, is a more reliable piece than what the team currently has behind Ndamukong Suh — unproven performers in A.J. Francis and Anthony Johnson — but it shouldn’t be viewed as an indictment on second-rounder Jordan Phillips‘ progress, writes Jackson.
Here are some more Sunday-morning news items from Miami and the rest of the AFC East.
- Back under the guidance of a more enthusiastic coach in Mike Zimmer, Mike Wallace either strongly prefers this personality trait compared to the lower-key Joe Philbin or is trying to please his new employer. “Honestly, [Zimmer]’s more of my type of guy — fired up. It’s cool when you do things and just do them. But when you do them and have some fire with it, it’s a lot more fun,” Wallace is quoted in Jackson’s notes piece. “I think it’s more of an environment for me, coming from [Steelers] coach [Mike] Tomlin being fired up and going to Coach Philbin, who was a lot more reserved, then coming back to another coach who’s fired up. I love it.”
- Despite each undergoing labrum surgeries this offseason, Dont’a Hightower and Sebastian Vollmer are on divergent recovery courses, reports Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Vollmer is on track to be ready for training camp, while Hightower’s status for Week 1 isn’t a lock. Hightower, who had surgery in February after playing through a torn labrum during the latter portion of last season, played with a bigger brace than Vollmer, which indicates his tear needed a more extensive surgical overhaul. Vollmer, however, likely played with a mere labrum fray, inducing a smaller-scale surgery, notes former Chargers team doctor David Chao. Chao does expect Hightower to be on the field for Week 1.
- Although Patriots fifth-round long snapper Joe Cardona‘s received apparent clearance from the navy to postpone his service time to play in New England this season, the team doesn’t know how long it’ll have him. It’s structured Cardona’s contract accordingly, notes Volin. Receiving only a $100K bonus rather than the $190K that would’ve been customary with his draft position, Cardona will receive roster bonuses for each year he’s with the Patriots and not in the navy. Per Volin, Cardona will collect just more than $17K, $37K and $45K for the 2015-17 seasons, respectively, if he’s on the active roster for at least one game, the PUP list or injured reserve.
- The Pats are now extremely well-equipped to challenge teams at the goal line, writes Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald, with their addition of 6-foot-6 Scott Chandler to go with Rob Gronkowski. With New England also adding Fred Davis to go with goal-line threat Michael Hoomanawanui, the team could add to its inside-the-20 proficiency after scoring 39 red zone touchdowns last season, a figure which was tied for the league high.
- Michael Vick‘s unemployment extending into the summer likely stems from his lax work ethic last season, reports Volin, who notes the former No. 1 overall pick barely looked at the Jets‘ playbook last season and yielded many of his practice reps to Matt Simms.
AFC Notes: Freeman, Steelers, McCourty, Anderson
Josh Freeman is trying to make the most of his opportunity with the Dolphins, but the quarterback understands that he could be on the outside looking in:
“We’ve got four quarterbacks on the roster and a limited amount of time,” Freeman told Shandel Richardson of the Sun Sentinel. “Some days, I might not get the reps in practice.
“I don’t think anybody can see the future. You don’t really think of those scenarios that haven’t really come up in your mind at times. I’m just taking it in stride. Whatever it becomes, I’m trying to make the most of it.”
When asked about this chances to make the team, Freeman had an honest outlook:
“I couldn’t tell you either way. The coaches are the decision-makers. All I know is I’m going to keep giving it my best, continue to improve and let the people whose call it is to make make the call.”
Let’s see what else is happening around the AFC…
- Keith Butler waited patiently a dozen years for his opportunity, but he’s finally the man in charge of the Steelers‘ defense. This offseason, the team did not renew the contract of Hall of Famer Dick LeBeau, giving Butler the opportunity to ascend to defensive coordinator. Prior to that, Butler had opportunities to be someone else’s defensive coordinator, as Dan Scifo of The Associated Press writes. “To me, if you’re going to coach in this game, you want to win a Super Bowl,” said Butler. “I always thought the best chance for me to win a Super Bowl as a coordinator would be (in Pittsburgh).”
- The Patriots lost several notable defenders this offseason, including veterans Darrelle Revis and Vince Wilfork, and that makes safety Devin McCourty the de facto “face” of the defense. Of course, the All-Pro defensive back would never admit that. “We have a lot of really good players on defense,” McCourty said to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “Last year, a lot of guys stepped up and made plays, and I think that is going to continue to happen. I don’t really think we have a face. We have guys that have been here a longer time than other guys…There’s so much that goes into being a good team and a good defense that you can’t put it on one guy to be the so-called face of the defense.”
- Broncos running back C.J. Anderson signed a new contract yesterday, but it had nothing to do with his football career. The 24-year-old inked a sponsorship with Storm – The Bowler’s Company, essentially making the running back a professional bowler. “This could also be something after football,” he told Rod Mackey of Colorado’s 9News. “A lot of people pickup golf, I might be picking up bowling.”
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Evan Mathis Rumors: Friday
The Eagles made Evan Mathis‘ release official today, meaning he’s now a free agent, and can sign immediately with any team. As I noted yesterday, I don’t expect the veteran guard to rush out and join a new team right away, especially since he’ll likely have many potential suitors to consider. Here are the latest rumors and updates on Mathis, including some details on his exit from Philadelphia:
- The Eagles nearly traded Mathis to another team during the draft, a source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to that same source, however, the club didn’t make a serious effort to move him before releasing him this week. Mathis’ trade value wouldn’t have been particularly high, given his age and his contract, but I have to think the Eagles could have at least landed a conditional late-round pick. Trading Mathis would also have allowed Philadelphia to control the process, meaning the club could have tried to send the veteran lineman to an AFC team rather than risking him signing with a rival.
- Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer also hears that the Eagles were engaged in trade talks involving Mathis around the draft. However, according to McLane’s sources, that mystery suitor changed its plans after the first round.
- The Rams could use another offensive lineman or two, but don’t expect the team to pursue Mathis unless he comes cheaper than expected, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Meanwhile, Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel says you can count on the Dolphins pursuing Mathis, though it’s not clear yet how aggressive their pursuit will be.
- It would be a smart move for the Jets to add Mathis to their roster, but only if the price is right, says Brian Costello of the New York Post.
- While Mathis could be a nice fit for the Vikings, no one should be surprised if Mathis prefers other opportunities, writes Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
WR Rumors: Welker, D. Thomas, J. Jones
Wes Welker, Demaryius Thomas, and James Jones spent the 2014 season playing in the AFC West, but now all three receivers are free agents. Thomas, of course, isn’t on the unrestricted market like Welker and Jones, but he has yet to sign his one-year franchise tender, meaning he’s not yet officially under contract with the Broncos.
Here’s the latest on the trio of wideouts:
- A general manager tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report that his team strongly considered signing Welker, but “there was great concern” about his history of concussions. As Freeman writes, teams familiar with Welker’s medical history say they think the ex-Bronco has sustained at least six concussions during his NFL career.
- Despite the concern about Welker’s head injuries, which will keep many suitors away, there are still teams interested in adding him. According to Freeman, the Patriots and Broncos aren’t interested in a reunion with Welker, but the Ravens and Dolphins could be good fits.
- Thomas, Welker’s old Denver teammate, has until July 15 to sign a long-term contract with the Broncos, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says Thomas may not report to training camp if the two sides don’t strike a deal.
- While the Broncos consider Thomas’ asking price too high, some league executives have suggested to Rapoport that Thomas deserves a Calvin Johnson-esque deal, based on Thomas’ recent production and the salary cap increases over the last couple years. When Johnson inked his eight-year, $130MM extension in 2012, the cap was $120.6MM. Three years later, it’s up to $143.28MM.
- Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link) today, Jones identified the Jaguars as a potential fit for him. He also mentioned the Chiefs, Giants, and Seahawks, three teams that reportedly inquired on him when he became a free agent last month.
Latest On Evan Mathis
One of the league’s very best guards is now on the open market and teams are already circling the wagons. Which teams are in Evan Mathis and which clubs look like potential fits? Let’s find out..
- It’s not clear if Mathis has interest in the Bills, but the Bills are curious to find out, according to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (on Twitter). That union could make a lot of sense since Mathis blocked for running back LeSean McCoy for the last four years.
- Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter) hears the Cardinals aren’t interested in Mathis.
- The Dolphins, Patriots, and Seahawks all make sense for the 33-year-old, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). However, he cautions that Mathis’ price point will start to scare teams off if it gets to be too high.
- The Vikings might be a good fit for Mathis, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com writes. Two of the coaches who would work with Mathis the most — offensive line coach Jeff Davidson and head coach Mike Zimmer — are already familiar with him from previous stops. Meanwhile, the Vikings have $10MM+ in cap space for 2015.
- The Saints, who have a vacancy at guard after trading starter Ben Grubbs, have only ~$3.5MM of salary cap space available to pursue Mathis, Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune notes. Tight end Tim Wright, however, could be more in the Saints’ price range.
Dolphins Sign C.J. Mosley
5:39pm: The Dolphins announced that the deal is official, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). To make room, defensive tackle Kamal Johnson has been shown the door.
1:16pm: It’ll be a minimum salary benefit contract for Mosley, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
12:33pm: After hosting him for a visit, the Dolphins have reached an agreement on a one-year contract with defensive tackle C.J. Mosley, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The free agent defender reportedly drew interest from the Lions and at least one other team besides the Dolphins.
By agreeing to sign with Miami, Mosley will reunite with former teammate Ndamukong Suh, the offseason’s No. 1 free agent, who joined the Dolphins back in March. Although he wasn’t as coveted a free agent as his ex-Lions teammate, Mosley was a solid contributor in Detroit last season as well. Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required) ranked him 26th out of 81 qualified defensive tackles, viewing him as slightly above average against both the pass and the run.
While the addition of Suh was huge for the Dolphins, the team lost two of its top defensive tackles from 2014 this past winter — Jared Odrick departed in free agency and Randy Starks was released by the team. Earl Mitchell is returning from last year’s squad to pair with Suh up front, but the club doesn’t have much veteran depth at the position, so Mosley could be a useful part-time player. Second-round rookie Jordan Phillips also figures to be a part of Miami’s interior defensive line rotation.
It’s not clear yet what sort of salary Mosley will earn on his one-year pact with the Dolphins, but it figures to be fairly modest, since no free agents are signing for big money this late in the offseason. Still, the fact that the 31-year-old had multiple potential suitors may earn him a deal worth more than the minimum.
Mike Tannenbaum, the Dolphins’ executive vice president of football operations, was the general manager in New York when Mosley played for the Jets from 2006 to 2008.
East Notes: Wilkerson, Mosley, Eagles
While Muhammad Wilkerson isn’t saying much publicly about extension negotiations with the Jets, fellow defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson was happy to discuss Wilkerson’s contract situation on Tuesday, telling Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News that his teammate should be the NFL’s next $100MM man.
“He’s worth that penny,” Richardson said of Wilkerson. “And you know what penny I’m talking about. … We don’t just want J.J. Watt money. We want it all. We want [Ndamukong] Suh money. Hopefully everybody wants that type of bread in this league.”
If Wilkerson gets a $100MM contract, it won’t come from the Jets this year, according to Mehta, who points out that the team has the leverage at this point. The addition of first-round pick Leonard Williams to the defensive line somewhat weakened Wilkerson’s negotiating position, per Mehta.
Here’s more on Wilkerson, along with a couple more items out of the NFL’s East divisions:
- More Richardson on Wilkerson, via Mehta: “If Gerald McCoy can get $100MM, I’m pretty sure my guy Mo Wilkerson can get $100MM.”
- During his visit to Miami this week, defensive tackle C.J. Mosley received a contract offer from the Dolphins, who “made clear they would love to add him as soon as possible,” agent Harold Lewis tells Adam Beasley and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. The Lions and one other unknown team also have interest in adding Mosley, who has yet to make a decision.
- Eagles head coach Chip Kelly and safety Earl Wolff appear to be at odds over the defensive back’s recovery from microfracture surgery, writes Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer. As Bowen notes, Wolff is more upbeat about his recovery than Kelly, who instead emphasized how well Walter Thurmond is adapting to the safety position.