NFC Mailbags: Rams, Bucs, Vikings, Panthers, Cardinals
It’s Saturday, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s start with notes from the NFC…
- Considering Benny Cunningham‘s role as a third-down blocker and kick returner, Nick Wagoner doesn’t believe it’s realistic for the Rams to pay Isaiah Pead just to be the fourth running back.
- Pat Yasinskas wouldn’t be surprised if the Buccaneers and linebacker Lavonte David agree to a longterm extension prior to training camp. The writer guesses an annual value of about $8MM for the former second-round pick.
- The Vikings and Adrian Peterson haven’t made any progress towards a restructured deal, according to Ben Goessling. The writer assumes that the organization would prefer to get Peterson in for a meeting before they sign him to a new deal. Goessling also notes that most of the team’s moves are with an eye towards 2016, when they move into a new stadium. If the team didn’t have plans for Peterson to be on the roster during that season, they wouldn’t be “bothering” with this current back-and-forth.
- If the Panthers offense struggles in 2015, David Newton believes the blame will be attributed to offensive coordinator Mike Shula. However, the writer would caution declaring this a “make-or-break” season for Shula.
- Unless Joe Webb can prove his value as a wideout or special-teams player, Newton has a tough time envisioning the quarterback making the Panthers roster.
- The competition for the Cardinals third quarterback job is Logan Thomas‘ to lose, says Josh Weinfuss. Phillip Sims or Chandler Harnish could ultimately prove to be better options, but Weinfuss believes the competition is coach Bruce Arians‘ way of motivating Thomas.
Vikings Did Not Ask Peterson To Take Pay Cut
7:00pm: Peterson took to Twitter again to clarify his remarks. “This is not against the Vikings. I am just frustrated that our union did not get guaranteed contracts for its players,” AD tweeted.
6:27pm: A source close to Peterson told Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter) that the running back was arguing for guaranteed contracts and not attacking the Vikings. According to the source (link), he was “referring to guys like [Greg] Jennings and other players [who are] cut [or] released if they do not take a pay cut.”
5:44pm: Someone close to Adrian Peterson told Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune (on Twitter) that the Vikings haven’t brought up the idea of a pay cut with the running back. Peterson took to Twitter to rant a bit today and some got the impression that Minnesota was seeking a salary adjustment.
“Question for the people, is a contract two sided or one?,” Peterson rhetorically asked his followers. “Ok great two sided! Well why [is it that] when one party decides … we [want] you to take a pay cut now or better yet flat out release you, there’s never no talk about honoring a contract?”
Peterson is entering his age-30 season and is slated to be the NFL’s highest paid running back. He’s scheduled to earn a great deal of money over the next three years, but Peterson is ostensibly perturbed because none of that money is guaranteed. As Luke Adams of PFR wrote earlier today, it’s hard to empathize with Peterson when you take everything into account.
On Wednesday, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report heard from a league source that Peterson is unlikely to skip the entirety of the Vikings’ voluntary workouts. If AD shows up for work next week, he can still collect on his $250K workout bonus, so it would behoove him to do so. Later that day, Peterson released a statement to try and clarify his position.
“The reason I’m not attending OTAs has nothing to do with wanting to be traded. It’s about securing my future with the Vikings. It’s business, not personal and I understand that firsthand. Go Vikings.”
NFC North Notes: Peterson, Bennett, Lions
A day after releasing a statement indicating that he doesn’t want to be traded and that his absence from OTAs is simply about securing his future with the Vikings, Adrian Peterson took to Twitter to rant about NFL contracts. While many of the running back’s broader points – involving the lack of agency players have compared to teams when it comes to getting out of contracts – are accurate, it’s difficult to have any sympathy for Peterson, given the circumstances.
Peterson, after all, is poised to enter his age-30 season as the NFL’s highest-paid running back, and the Vikings appear entirely willing to pay him that $12.75MM salary rather than asking him to reduce it, despite the fact that the 30-year-old was investigated for child abuse last year. While many players could rightly gripe about teams failing to honor contracts, the rhetoric doesn’t sound very effective coming from Peterson right now.
Let’s check out a few more items from across the NFC North….
- Michael Johnson took a free agent visit to Minnesota to meet with the Vikings before he decided to return to Cincinnati this offseason. As Johnson told SiriusXM NFL Radio today (Twitter link), he didn’t think he’d like Minnesota, but he did — he simply preferred to “go home” instead of signing with the Vikes.
- Bears tight end Martellus Bennett continues to be absent from Chicago’s offseason program due to a contract dispute, writes Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. A report last month suggested that Bennett wanted a new deal and that the Bears were considering trading him.
- Lions president Tom Lewand spoke to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press about the team’s increased focus on adding high-character players to its roster.
NFC North Notes: Peterson, Patterson, Bears
Here’s a quick look at the NFC North..
- On Wednesday afternoon, a reader asked Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) to handicap the odds that the Vikings will trade Adrian Peterson. Schefter replied that the Vikings have been very clear in their stance and they’ve insisted that they won’t budge. Earlier today, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report spoke with a league source who felt that Peterson was likely to show up at some point during OTAs. Peterson, meanwhile, issued a statement explaining that he does not want to be traded.
- The Lions are set to meet with defensive lineman Mike Patterson, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Detroit is looking to beef up the line and they could do it by reuniting Patterson with coach Jim Washburn.
- The Bears have hired former Saints cap guru Joey Laine as their new director of football administration, according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). Laine will handle the salary cap and player negotiations, according to a source. Cliff Stein will remain with Chicago as general counsel.
Latest On Adrian Peterson, Vikings
9:00pm: Peterson issued a statement to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (via Twitter). “The reason I’m not attending OTAs has nothing to do with wanting to be traded. It’s about securing my future with the Vikings. It’s business, not personal and I understand that firsthand. Go Vikings,” the running back said.
6:42pm: Adrian Peterson is unlikely to skip the entirety of the Vikings’ voluntary workouts, a league source tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report. The working theory is that the star running back will show up at some juncture so that he doesn’t miss out on his $250K workout bonus.
Freeman writes that Peterson gets his bonus if he attends 90% of OTAs and minicamps, in which case he could still recoup that bonus if he shows up to the Vikings’ facility next week. Joel Corry of CBSSports.com indicated yesterday that that’s not accurate, and that the running back forfeits his bonus by not participating in all of the club’s OTAs. However, if Peterson does report to Minnesota this spring, the team could decide to restore that bonus in an effort to help mend fences.
One rival exec told Freeman that he believes Peterson is simply stomping his feet over the fact that the Vikings won’t trade him. “He’s sending a message to the Vikings,” the exec said. “‘I’ll rejoin the team when I’m good and ready.'”
Meanwhile, AD is texting with teammates and, apparently, he has given no indication that he wants to be moved. Furthermore, Freeman has heard no indication that Peterson is serious about his threat to retire if he doesn’t get what he wants. Even if the Vikings have a chance of heart, they’ll have a hard time finding a suitable deal. One GM said the market for AD is “almost nonexistent.”
NFC North Notes: Ihedigbo, Kalil, Bears
Earlier today, we passed along updates on Adrian Peterson and Matt Forte, two star NFC North running backs who aren’t satisfied with their current contract situations. We’ve got a few more items this afternoon from out of the division, including one note related to another player who is seeking a new deal. Here’s the latest:
- Asked if he felt like he outperformed his contract in 2014, Lions safety James Ihedigbo replied, “I was a Pro Bowl alternate, so that answers that question,” writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Ihedigbo reported to the team’s OTAs, but still wants more money, more years, or both added onto his current contract, which calls for a $1.1MM base salary in 2015.
- Vikings offensive tackle Matt Kalil said today that he’d like to play for “another five, six years,” according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link). Kalil, whose fifth-year option for 2016 was exercised by Minnesota earlier this offseason, turns 26 in July, so playing just five or six more seasons would mean retiring in his early-30s.
- After releasing Ray McDonald earlier this week following his latest domestic violence arrest, Bears chairman George McCaskey spoke to reporters today, including Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times, taking responsibility for having brought the defensive lineman to the team. Even though the McDonald signing went south, the club still has “complete confidence” in new GM Ryan Pace, per McCaskey.
OTA Rumors: Peterson, Forte, A. Smith, Dez
With organized team activities getting underway this week, we’re keeping our eye on plenty of contract and roster situations around the NFL. Here are the latest updates on a few of those situations:
- Addressing Adrian Peterson‘s absence from OTAs, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer issued another strong statement today, telling reporters – including Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (Twitter link) – that the running back has two choices: “He can play for us or not play.” A report yesterday suggested that Peterson is actually considering that second option (retirement), though I noted at the time that it sounded like the 30-year-old’s camp trying to regain some leverage.
- After saying last week that he thought he had an idea of when Peterson would report to the Vikings, Zimmer admitted today that he has no idea when that’ll happen, tweets Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
- Matt Forte, who reportedly wants a new contract, is present at the Bears‘ OTAs, but said today that “nobody likes playing on a one-year deal” (Twitter link via Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com). As Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune tweets, Forte added, “They said we’re not talking about that type of [contract] stuff right now, so all I can do is play football.”
- Antonio Smith won’t participate in the Broncos‘ OTAs, as he continues to be investigated following a complaint of sexual child abuse, writes Mike Klis of 9NEWS. Although Smith has yet to be arrested or charged with a crime, the Broncos decided it would be “best for all involved” if the defensive lineman focuses on resolving his legal situation before reporting to the team.
- As expected, Dez Bryant isn’t in attendance for the Cowboys‘ OTAs. However, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets that the club has been in communication with the wideout. Earlier today, I asked whether Bryant will sign a long-term extension with Dallas before the July 15 deadline, and so far more than half of you have indicated that won’t happen.
Extra Points: Peterson, McDonald, Bills
Vikings star Adrian Peterson can get out of his current entanglement with the team by firing agent Ben Dogra, Tom Powers of the Pioneer Press opines. Powers says that AD should dump the former CAA rep and then spin the story to make it sound like he had been acting on bad advice. Of course, Dogra and Peterson appear to be thick as theives and there is no indication of discord between the two. Here’s more from around the NFL..
- The alleged victim of Ray McDonald‘s domestic violence incident on Monday told 911 that he violently broke through a bedroom door to get to his ex-fiancée and their infant, Robert Salonga of the Mercury News writes. On Monday, McDonald’s attorney intimated that his client was innocent of the charges.
- Bills coach Rex Ryan says he’s in the dark when it comes to Chris Williams‘ absence from team OTAs, as Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News tweets. “I don’t know if he’s going to be planning on coming back or what; I haven’t seen him,” Ryan said.
- NFL owners voted to allow irrevocable trusts to own teams, which will greatly ease estate planning, Daniel Kaplan of Sports Business Journal tweets. Owners also voted to drop the amount a family member of an ownership group must control of the NFL team from 10% to 5% (link). In a third measure, owners voted to increase the amount of debt a team can borrow from $200MM to $250MM, Kaplan tweets.
- The Jets announced that they have hired seven new scouts to work under senior director of college scouting Rex Hogan. In addition to the previously reported hire of Lee Gissendaner, the list also includes former Chiefs scout Dom Green.
Latest On Adrian Peterson
As expected, the Vikings’ organized team activities got underway today without Adrian Peterson, and the running back is prepared to forfeit his $250K workout bonus by not reporting to Minnesota’s OTAs. Unhappy with his current situation, Peterson has “ruminated on the possibility of retirement more than once” since last season, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
The update from La Canfora appears to be the latest attempt by Peterson’s camp to regain some leverage in the running back’s standoff with the Vikings. The team has so far expressed a complete unwillingness to explore trade possibilities for Peterson, and at this point in the offseason, it’s not likely that there would be a long list of suitors anyway.
As Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) observes, while renegotiating Peterson’s contract to guarantee some money is one tactic the Vikings could use to try to mend fences with their star running back, the 30-year-old’s primary goal is to play somewhere besides Minnesota. Still, no matter how strong Peterson’s desire is to move on, or how many rumors his camp leaks about a potential holdout or the possibility of retirement, the Vikes appear unlikely to change their stance, writes La Canfora.
Except for perhaps the Cowboys, no team currently looks like a reasonable trade partner for the Vikings, and it has always seemed like a long shot that any club would part with multiple top draft picks to land a 30-year-old running back set to earn a $12.75MM salary. Ultimately, as La Canfora outlines, the end game now is probably what it has been all along — the Vikes making some changes to Peterson’s contract, and perhaps restoring the bonuses that he’s currently in the process of forfeiting.
With Peterson and agent Ben Dogra digging their heels in, it may be a few weeks – or even months – before we find out how this situation will be resolved. However, this late in the offseason, it would be an unexpected twist if Peterson retired or was traded.
NFC North Notes: Ihedigbo, Peterson, Bears
Here’s the latest out of the NFC North, as a handful of teams’ OTAs around the league get underway….
- Safety James Ihedigbo, who is seeking a new contract, will report to the Lions‘ offseason workouts today, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter links). Birkett adds that Ihedigbo will be at the team’s OTAs and minicamp, presumably as a show of good faith as he attempts to work out a new deal.
- Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter links) clears up some misinformation about Adrian Peterson‘s contract with the Vikings, pointing out that the running back has to participate in the team’s entire OTA and minicamp programs to earn his $250K bonus — not just 90% of those activities, as has been reported elsewhere. Either way, it appears Peterson will forfeit that bonus money, as he did back in 2012 (Twitter link).
- One reason the Bears were willing to roll the dice on Ray McDonald this offseason was the fact that he was a tremendous on-field fit for Vic Fangio‘s scheme, having played under the defensive coordinator in San Francisco. Now that McDonald is no longer in the mix in Chicago, the club will have to turn to Plan B. Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com and John Mullin of CSNChicago.com examine what that backup plan might look like.