Extra Points: Pats, Cutler, Adams, Olsen
With many in the media slamming the Patriots over the Deflategate scandal, owner Robert Kraft stood in front of the media on Monday night to defend his team. “If the Wells investigation is not able to definitively determine that our organization tampered with the air pressure in the footballs,” Kraft said, according to John Kryk of the Toronto Sun , “I would expect and hope that the league would apologize to our entire team, and in particular coach Bill Belichick and Tom Brady for what they have had to endure this past week.” More from around the NFL..
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com spoke with CSNChicago.com about a number of Bears-centric topics, including quarterback Jay Cutler. At this point, he says, there’s a much better chance of Chicago keeping Cutler than dealing him.
- Mike Wells of ESPN.com feels that the Colts should prioritize re-signing safety Mike Adams. Adams wants to return to Indianapolis, but he also learned last offseason that the business of the NFL doesn’t always allow for a reunion. Adams waited around for the Broncos to re-sign him before finally joining up with the Colts in June. Upon joining the Colts, Adams became a vocal leader in the secondary and their best defensive back not named Vontae Davis this season.
- Panthers tight end Greg Olsen and middle linebacker Luke Kuechly are both set to hit the open market after the 2015 season and are in line for big pay bumps, as Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes. The Panthers can keep Kuechly, the No. 9 pick in the 2012 draft, by exercising their fifth-year option on him. Meanwhile, Olsen said he and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, have yet to have any substantial contract talks with the Panthers, but he hopes something can get done before the start of the season. “We’ll see how the offseason goes. There haven’t been any really major developments on that front,” Olsen said. “Of course, I would love to finish my career there. I’d love to be able to get something done going into this season and know that I’ll be a part of the team for a while.”
- In Monday night’s presser, Belichick expressed gratitude to Patriots owner Robert Kraft for hiring him as head coach many years ago, as Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweets. “Mr. Kraft gave up quite a bit in order to work out the trade for me to be part of this organization after I resigned from the Jets,” the coach said.
AFC East Notes: Pats, Revis, Bills
Could the Patriots be open to picking up Darrelle Revis‘ lucrative option for 2015? The organization feels that the star cornerback is what makes the New England defense work and they want to ensure that the Super Bowl won’t be his final game in red and blue. They’ll work hard to hammer out a long-term extension with him when the offseason starts, but if that doesn’t work out, they’re not opposed to just exercising his $20MM option, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (video link). Given the cost and the cap hit (~$25MM), however, it’s still hard to imagine New England going through with that. More from the AFC East..
- The Bills formally announced the hiring of a number of assistant coaches today, including new senior offensive assistant Chris Palmer. Palmer comes to Buffalo with 22 years of NFL coaching experience, including a recent stint (2011-2012) as the Titans’ offensive coordinator.
- The NFL has zeroed in on a Patriots locker room attendant in connection with the Deflategate scandal, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports. There is surveillance video showing the attendant taking the footballs from the official’s locker room into another room at Gillette Stadium before bringing them out to the field, according to sources. Of course, both Pats head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady have proclaimed their innocence in the matter.
- Lead investigator Ted Wells says that the Patriots investigation could take “at least” several more weeks, according to Gary Myers of the Daily News (on Twitter). Wells also implored people (link) not to read into the order of the interviews. Brady will be interviewed, but that chat won’t take place this week for obvious reasons.
East Notes: Fins, Clay, Pats, Ayers, Washington
The Dolphins would like to re-sign impending free agent tight end Charles Clay, and are preparing an offer with the intention to submit it to Clay’s representatives in the coming weeks, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Clay, who turns 26 in about three weeks, earned $1.431MM in base salary last season, and should be in for nice pay increase despite a somewhat disappointing campaign that saw him catch 58 passes for 589 yards and three touchdowns. I profiled Clay as an extension candidate before the season, and while the four-year, ~$21MM contract I projected at the time now seems a tad high, a $4MM AAV isn’t out of the question.
Let’s look at some more notes from the two East divisions:
- In the same article, Jackson passes along some other Dolphins news, including Miami’s visit with defensive tackle prospect Danny Shelton, and league-wide interest in Dolphins executives Chris Grier and Adam Engroff.
- The NFL bears significant responsibility in the DeflateGate scandal, argues Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Despite vowing to investigate the matter fully, the league hasn’t discovered much in the way of evidence or intent, writes Florio. Instead, the Patriots and the NFL as a whole are now being tarnished in what is the most important week in the league calendar.
- Akeem Ayers doesn’t have any hard feelings towards the Titans regarding the trade that sent him to the Patriots, as the linebacker tells Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal. “They made a decision that they felt like they needed to make,” said Ayers. “…I just took it as motivation and especially being here on this team, I feel like they did me a favor, honestly…I came here and I did a good job here and we’re going to the Super Bowl.” New England acquired Ayers and a seventh-round pick for a 2015 sixth-rounder. A free agent at season’s end, the 25-year-old Ayers registered 20 tackles and four sacks in nine games with the Pats.
- Washington would like to speak with Packers senior personnel executive Alonso Highsmith about its director of personnel position, but hasn’t heard back from Green Bay as of yet, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports.
Sunday Roundup: Morris, Harman, Graham
Let’s take a look at some links from around the league as the Seahawks and Patriots prepare to head off to Arizona:
- We learned earlier today that the Falcons, who will name Dan Quinn as their next head coach on February 2, will also hire Washington defensive backs coach Raheem Morris for an assistant-defensive coordinator hybrid position. NBC4’s Dianna Marie Russini tweets that Morris will not be the team’s defensive coordinator and that he will serve as an assistant of some kind.
- Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com adds that Wade Harman, the Falcons’ assistant offensive line coach in 2014, will be named as the team’s next tight ends coach. Harman served as the Ravens‘ tight ends coach for 15 years before coming to Atlanta in 2014.
- Washington has 12 players eligible for unrestricted free agency, and Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com offers his thoughts as to which of those players the team should re-sign.
- LeGarrette Blount has fallen out of favor with both collegiate and professional organizations in his football career, but Adam Kurkjian of the Boston Herald writes that Blount’s second stint with the Patriots has proven that his true home is in New England.
- Ben Volin of the Boston Globe wonders if the Buccaneers’ hiring of Mike Bajakian as their quarterbacks coach signals that they have already decided to draft Marcus Mariota with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. Volin points out that Bajakian’s spread-option attack is much better suited to Mariota’s skillset than Jameis Winston‘s.
- Marc Sessler of NFL.com writes that Saints tight end Jimmy Graham will use tonight’s Pro Bowl as a gauge to determine whether he should undergo offseason shoulder surgery.
- Mike Klis of the Denver Post says the Broncos have reached a crossroads, and he believes the team will have more questions with Peyton Manning than without.
- Surprise Pro Bowler Justin Forsett reaffirmed this week that he wants to remain with the Ravens, writes Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. The journeyman veteran is tired of bouncing around the league and would like to establish a long-term relationship with the team that gave him the best chance to finally enjoy a breakout season.
Extra Points: NFLPA, Mayo, Van Pelt, Raiders
The NFL Players Association has formally filed a grievance against the league challenging the NFL’s new personal conduct policy, which was adopted in December despite the NFLPA’s objections, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The union contends that it didn’t have an opportunity to collectively bargain many key points of the new policy, arguing that the policy violates the CBA and that it was adopted “without the consent, and over the objections, of the NFLPA.”
While we wait to see what comes of the union’s grievance, let’s round up several items from across the NFL….
- Injured Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo has been prioritizing his rehabilitation after a season-ending knee injury, and fully intends to get back on the field in 2015, but he has also developed an interest in coaching during his time spent on injured reserve, writes Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “I’m just trying to learn as much as I can,” Mayo said. “If I do choose to go down that road, hopefully I can apply some of these principles that I’ve learned from coach [Bill] Belichick in my coaching career.”
- While a previous report revealed the Packers turned down the Rams’ request to speak to Alex Van Pelt about their offensive coordinator job, St. Louis wasn’t the only team rebuffed by Green Bay. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), the Jaguars and Bears were also denied permission to interview Van Pelt.
- The Raiders have officially confirmed a handful of new additions to Jack Del Rio’s staff, announcing in a press release that they’ve hired Todd Downing (QB coach), Marcus Robertson (DB coach), Sal Sunseri (LB coach), and Mike Tice (OL coach).
- The Jets also announced several new assistants in addition to their new coordinators. According to the team, Mike Caldwell (assistant HC/ILB coach), Mark Collins (OLB coach), Joe Danna (DB/S coach), and Karl Dorrell (WR coach) are among the new arrivals.
- Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey isn’t phased by the fact that 2015 could be a make-or-break season for him and head coach Joe Philbin, suggesting that he approaches every season as if it’s make-or-break, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
- The Texans have made some front office changes, promoting Jon Carr to director of college scouting and hiring Matt Jansen to the new position of college scouting coordinator, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links).
- We learned yesterday that Kansas State wide receiver Tyler Lockett met with the Dolphins at the Senior Bowl, but Miami is far from the only team to interview Lockett. The wideout, who is generating plenty of buzz in Mobile, tells James Walker of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that he spoke to 28 NFL teams this week.
NFL Issues Update On Patriots Investigation
The NFL’s investigation into whether members of the Patriots intentionally tampered with footballs used in Sunday’s AFC championship game against the Colts, which began earlier this week, looks like it could continue for some time. The league has issued a statement updating the progress of the investigation, which is being headed by NFL executive VP Jeff Pash and Ted Wells, who led last year’s investigation into the Dolphins’ bullying scandal. The statement, which can be found in full right here, reads, in part:
“The investigation is ongoing, will be thorough and objective, and is being pursued expeditiously. In the coming days, we expect to conduct numerous additional interviews, examine video and other forensic evidence, as well as relevant physical evidence. While the evidence thus far supports the conclusion that footballs that were under-inflated were used by the Patriots in the first half, the footballs were properly inflated for the second half and confirmed at the conclusion of the game to have remained properly inflated. The goals of the investigation will be to determine the explanation for why footballs used in the game were not in compliance with the playing rules and specifically whether any noncompliance was the result of deliberate action. We have not made any judgments on these points and will not do so until we have concluded our investigation and considered all of the relevant evidence.
“Upon being advised of the investigation, the Patriots promptly pledged their full cooperation and have made their personnel and other information available to us upon request. Our investigation will seek information from any and all relevant sources and we expect full cooperation from other clubs as well. As we develop more information and are in a position to reach conclusions, we will share them publicly.”
AFC East Notes: Brady, Marrone, Polian, Jets
Speaking to the media on Thursday afternoon, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady adamantly denied that he had any involvement in the deflating of footballs during New England’s victory over the Colts in Sunday’s AFC Championship game. “I didn’t alter the ball in any way,” said Brady. “…I was surprised as anyone on Monday morning when I heard what was happening…I have no knowledge of anything…I’m very comfortable saying that” (Twitter links via Albert Breer of NFL.com). Furthermore, Brady stated that NFL has not yet contacted him as part of their investigation, but allowed that they might do so, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) — per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), Brady would be the last person the NFL speaks to, based on Rapoport’s knowledge of the how the league conducts its probes. Here’s more from the AFC East, including a little more on DeflateGate:
- Patriots head coach Bill Belichick also spoke to reporters earlier today, and one league source found it “shocking” that Belichick shifted the focus of the scandal to Brady, tweets Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Of course, Belichick didn’t accuse Brady of anything improper, but he did say that “quarterbacks…know a lot more than I do,” which struck many as odd.
- Some league insiders believe that ex-Bills coach (and current Jaguars OL coach) Doug Marrone and Jacksonville executive Chris Polian could be a head coach/general manager pairing in 2016, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link via Mike Rodak).
- Packers assistant offensive line coach Steve Marshall is expected to join the Jets, presumably continuing to work with the offensive line, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter).
- Kansas State receiver Tyler Lockett interviewed with the Dolphins on Wednesday, and the former Wildcat says the meeting went well, per James Walker of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFL Investigates Patriots, Deflated Footballs
3:12pm: According to a report from WEEI.com, the 11 Patriots footballs determined to be below the acceptable inflation level were tested and removed from circulation at the half. During the second half, the team’s 12 backup game balls were subbed in — those balls were at an acceptable inflation level. The WEEI.com report indicates that testing was completed just as the second half was getting underway, which is why officials stopped play and swapped out the kicking ball on the first play in the third quarter.
An earlier report from Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk confirmed that the 11 underinflated balls were tested before the game and were at an acceptable level of inflation at that point.
In other words, while the inflation level of the balls likely had no impact on the outcome of the game, it seems something happened to that original set during the first half, since they had significantly less air at halftime than they did during the pre-game check.
WEDNESDAY, 7:40am: The NFL has determined that 11 of the 12 game balls used by the Patriots on Sunday were underinflated by about two pounds per square inch of air, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com. According to Mortensen, the investigation is ongoing as the league attempts to determine how the balls became underinflated, but a source described the league as “disappointed” and “angry.” The NFL has not yet determined what, if any, sanctions or penalties will be imposed upon the Patriots.
MONDAY, 9:01am: The Patriots posted an impressive performance against the Colts last night in the AFC Championship, winning 45-7 at home on a rainy, windy Foxboro night. The victory stamped a sixth trip to the Super Bowl for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.
Of course, a trip to the Super Bowl without controversy just wouldn’t be the “Patriot way.”
The NFL is currently investigating the Patriots because of their alleged use of deflated footballs during last nights game, reports Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (via Twitter).
Ben Volin and Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe confirm the investigation (via Twitter). The story was first reported by Bob Kravitz of WTHR in Indianapolis.
According to NFL rules as tweeted out by the New York Daily News for convenience, the home team is responsible for making a number of footballs available for testing prior to kickoff, to assure they meet the specifications required by the league.
Volin writes that the Patriots could be subject to a $25K fine, plus additional discipline for Belichick and any front office personnel involved. He also notes that WTHR reported the Patriots could face a potential forfeiting of draft picks, much like they were forced to following the SpyGate scandal.
The New York Daily News notes that a deflated football would be much easier to throw and catch in inclement weather such as what was experienced last night. They also put together quotes from Brady dismissing these allegations, stating that they are “ridiculous” and “the last of my worries.”
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk confirms that several abnormal footballs were removed from play throughout the course of the game. He also writes that he believes the league will come out with more information on the matter as soon as this morning.
Extra Points: Luck, Wilson, Ireland, Chudzinski
With Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson now eligible for extensions, there’s speculation that new high watermarks could be set for quarterback salaries and guarantees, but there’s also “major concern” among rival agents about negotiations for the two star signal-callers, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). As Cole explains, both players are represented by fairly inexperienced agents — Wilson is repped by Mark Rodgers, primarily a baseball agent, while Luck’s uncle William Wilson reps the Indianapolis star.
These two deals are expected to have a significant trickle-down effect on future contracts for players at every position, not just for other quarterbacks. Wilson and Luck already have such impressive resumés that they should be in line for guarantees in excess of $50MM+ on their next contracts, rather than anything close to the limited guaranteed money that players like Colin Kaepernick and Andy Dalton accepted in their recent extensions, so fellow agents are hoping that neither Luck’s camp nor Wilson’s camp settles for a modest deal, lowering the bar for future extensions.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- After Alex Marvez of Fox Sports reported overnight (via Twitter) that former Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland was expected to become the Saints’ college scouting director, general Mickey Loomis confirmed today to reporters that Ireland had indeed been hired to oversee the team’s college scouting process (Twitter links).
- Having reported earlier that the Colts were denying Rob Chudzinski permission to speak to teams about offensive coordinator jobs, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch adds an important piece of clarification (via Twitter): Chudzinski’s contract is set to expire in a week, at which point he’s free to interview anywhere, meaning he could still be in play for a team like the Bears, 49ers, or Rams.
- In addition to having their attempt to talk to Chudzinski rebuffed, the 49ers were denied permission to speak to Bengals secondary coach Vance Joseph about their defensive coordinator opening, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Cincinnati also blocked the Broncos’ efforts to pursue Joseph for a DC job.
- According to Jason Fitzgerald’s projections at Over the Cap, the Patriots, Chiefs, and Bengals appear likely to land third-round compensatory picks in this year’s draft for losing Aqib Talib, Branden Albert, and Michael Johnson – respectively – in free agency a year ago. Fitzgerald also forecasts rookie pool amounts by team for 2015, with the Buccaneers’ rookie cap projected to exceed $8MM.
- While the Rams are often said to be “only” a quarterback away from contention, finding that QB isn’t exactly an easy task, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. Wagoner passes along a number of quotes from Rams general manager Les Snead about the team’s quest to identify a long-term answer at the position.
- Former agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com takes a look at the upcoming offseasons for the league’s championship weekend losers, the Packers and Colts.
AFC Notes: Moats, Hudson, Edelman
Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats is set to be an unrestricted free agent, and Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says the former sixth-rounder could end up being a priority for Pittsburgh. For what it’s worth, the 26-year-old is hoping to return next season.
“I hope to be back, but it is a business,” Moats said. “I feel I have to do what’s best for me and my family. We will see what happens, but I definitely want to be back.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the AFC…
- Chiefs center Rodney Hudson switched representation from Shoreline to Athletes First agents Joe Panos and Brian Murphy, tweets Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal. As the writer points out, the move may be in preparation of the 25-year-old’s potential free agency.
- Ben Volin of The Boston Globe tweets that Patriots wideout Julian Edelman will receive a $500K bonus for making the Super Bowl. The bonus would have kicked in had the 28-year-old compiled 1,057 yards, 70 receptions/seven scores, 80 receptions/13 wins or 80 receptions/Super Bowl appearance (via ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss). Edelman finished the season with 92 receptions for 972 yards. Meanwhile, the Patriots finished with 12 wins.
- ‘DeflateGate’ is less than 24 hours old, but some within the NFL are already trying to distance themselves from the story, including Colts head coach Chuck Pagano. “Did not notice, and that’s something for the league to handle. It’s not my place to comment on it,” Pagano said (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com).