East Notes: Vick, Pats, Giants, Murray
Not every Jets fan will agree, but coach Rex Ryan made the right call to keep rising sophomore Geno Smith as his starter over veteran free agent addition Michael Vick, opines Bob Glauber of Newsday. It doesn’t guarantee that Smith will take a significant step forward after last year’s inconsistent campaign but it also doesn’t mean that Ryan and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg can’t change their minds mid-season. More out of the AFC and NFC East..
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap looked at the best and worst contracts on the Patriots‘ payroll. The best deal, he writes is the one they gave to offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer as it’s a prime example of how how to handle a good, but injury prone, player. The worst, meanwhile, belongs to Logan Mankins, who edged out the oft-injured Danny Amendola for the dubious distinction. Mankins is the better player of the two, but he ended up being paid as the top interior lineman in the league at a time when he was not the best at his position. Mankins carries a $10.5MM cap charge this year, second highest among guards in the NFL.
- The Jets are thrilled with the play of new right tackle Breno Giacomini, writes Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “He’s great, and he’s been going like this,’’ Ryan said while making the motion of a jet taking off. “I think getting used to the offense, there are new plays, new terminology, all that kind of stuff, playing with new teammates.“
- Giants special teams coordinator Tom Quinn says the battle between kickers Josh Brown and Brandon McManus is still extremely close, writes Tom Rock of Newsday. “The thing about Josh is that he does have a strong leg,” Quinn said. “A lot of times, you have an older kicker and a young kicker and the young kicker has such a strong leg. But Brandon will really have to beat him out in all areas to win the job. And he knows that.”
- Rick Gosselin and Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News looked at several issues concerning the Cowboys, including whether running back DeMarco Murray could price the club out of re-signing him. Goesselin feels that in today’s pass-happy NFL, it’d be impossible for the 27-year-old to get too pricey for Dallas. Horn, meanwhile, isn’t so sure since owner Jerry Jones likes to dole out big deals.
La Canfora On Pats, McCourty, Redskins
In today’s column, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com writes that the Redskins’ offensive line is looking solid for the first time in a while. Left tackle Trent Williams is in excellent shape and it appears that offensive line coach Chris Foerster has done a nice job of molding the unit as it adapts to a team that will incorporate elements of power running under head coach Jay Gruden. Here’s more from La Canfora..
- Devin McCourty is looking good at safety and it has solved what was a lingering issue for the Patriots. They’ll want him around a long time but there’s nothing brewing as he enters the final year of his deal. The sides exchanged some initial proposals this offseason, sources told La Canfora, but weren’t particularly close, and there hasn’t been any movement since. The safety franchise tag is quite team friendly, so that could be lessening New England’s urgency in working on a new deal. Still, La Canfora feels the sides could talk again before the start of the season.
- It’d be tough for the Redskins to pull off a trade well past the draft, but La Canfora wonders if Washington could get more calls at some point in 2014 on backup quarterback Kirk Cousins. Cousins has two years on his rookie deal and the Browns offered a mid-round pick for him this offseason, though La Canfora hears that Skins GM Bruce Allen wanted a second-rounder. Cousins has plenty of fans in some other front offices and coaching rooms, but the Redskins might want to hang on to him since Robert Griffin III remains an injury risk.
- The Patriots are quietly pleased with what they have seen from receiver Brandon LaFell, who they signed as a free agent this offseason. He has shown a grasp of their system and with injury troubles plauging Danny Amendola, Aaron Dobson, and Rob Gronkowski, there is an opportunity for LaFell to get lots of looks.
AFC East Notes: Bills, Pats, Mallett, Dolphins
Let’s round up a few Wednesday items from around the AFC East….
- Terry Pegula, one of the bidders on the Bills, announced yesterday that his company closed on a $1.75 billion sale of petroleum acreage in West Virginia and Ohio. In a press release, Pegula delivered a rare comment about his financial reserves, writes Tim Graham of The Buffalo News. “Our team truly is a leader in the domestic oil and gas industry,” Pegula said. “Our affiliate companies still retain significant oil and gas assets in Colorado, Wyoming, New York, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. “We are not going away.” It’s probably not a coincidence that Pegula chose to boast about his major transaction in the midst of the bidding process.
- Tom Brady‘s contract often gets mentioned as an example a particularly team-friendly deal for a star quarterback, but in Jason Fitzgerald’s view, Patriots offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer has an even more favorable contract. In his latest piece for Over the Cap, Fitzgerald also identifies Logan Mankins as the player with the worst contract on the Pats.
- Patriots backup quarterback Ryan Mallett has been receiving positive reviews for his performance in camp this summer, but as long as Brady remains healthy and in New England, Mallett isn’t likely to see the field much. As the former third-round pick enters a contract year, he’s not worried about his situation, and is looking forward to seeing regular game action in the preseason, writes Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com. “You can’t control what you can’t control,” Mallett said. “It’s the uncontrollable. You have to deal with it. I was dealt the hand I was dealt, so I’m playing cards.”
- Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald passes along 15 notes and observations from Dolphins training camp. Meanwhile, Bill Barnwell of Grantland takes an in-depth look at Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who is entering a critical year as he attempts to convince the Dolphins that he’s the team’s signal-caller of the future.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
AFC East Notes: Revis, Jets, Dolphins
Earlier today, it was reported that the Patriots are interested in extending cornerback Darrelle Revis, even though he has yet to appear in a preseason game for New England. Given the big money thrown around for CBs so far this offseason, Revis may be inclined to hit the open market in March instead. Still, it’s conceivable that Revis could opt for financial security over the potential of a larger payday. More on Revis and other notes out of the AFC East..
- It would be interesting if the Patriots actually do pick up Darrelle Revis‘ $12MM option in April, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets. Such a move would work like a franchise tag and keep the elite corner off the open market. Revis has a $12MM option bonus in April and $7.5MM base salary in 2015. His cap number would be $25MM, but the Pats could renegotiate that after April.
- Rookie wide receiver Shaq Evans, one of three fourth-round picks by the Jets, could be lost for the season after suffering a shoulder injury Thursday in practice, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Coach Rex Ryan called it a significant injury, indicating Evans might end up on season-ending injured reserve. “That shoulder looks pretty bad,” Ryan said. “We’ll see how that goes, but it doesn’t look good right now. We talked to him about it, too. He had the other shoulder [injury] before. But this one seems to be bothering him a lot more. This looks like a severe injury.”
- After trying out for the Ravens on Saturday, tight end/tackle Steve Maneri tried out for the Dolphins today, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). The 6’6″, 275 pound tight end saw four games of action last season for the Bears. He was in camp with the Bucs this offseason before getting cut on May 13th.
Patriots Interested In Extending Revis
Darrelle Revis, the Patriots’ most notable free agent signing this offseason, has yet to even appear in a preseason contest for the club, but according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, the club already has interest in ensuring that he remains in New England long-term. Appearing in a video spot on Bleacher Report, Cole says the Pats are “privately already starting to talk about extending [Revis’] contract.”
“The Patriots like what they see so much — they think they see the next Ty Law, that shutdown cover corner to really get their defense going. They’d like to extend him now,” Cole said. “Robert Kraft, the owner of the team, has pulled [Revis] aside and has started to talk to him to see if they can get a long-term deal worked out.”
Revis, 29, signed a two-year, $32MM contract with the Patriots, though it’s structured in such a way that it’ll almost certainly end up being a one-year, $12MM pact if it isn’t extended. Currently, the 2015 cap number on the deal is an unpalatable $25MM. Given the huge extensions signed by cornerbacks like Richard Sherman, Joe Haden, and Patrick Peterson so far this offseason, Revis may be inclined to hit the open market in March to see if he can land a similar contract, since it seems unlikely New England would make such a huge commitment.
Still, based on Cole’s comments, it sounds like the Patriots have been very impressed with the former Buccaneer and Jet so far, and the team likely recognizes that Revis won’t accept a significant discount, so it’s reasonable to expect a fair offer. It will be interesting to keep an eye on possible negotiations between the two sides this summer and fall, since securing Revis long-term would give the Pats a cornerstone in their secondary.
Extra Points: Tuitt, Mallett, Brooks
The Steelers thought Stephon Tuitt was a steal at No. 46 overall, writes Triblive.com’s Alan Robinson, and the rookie defensive lineman out of Notre Dame is already working with the first-team defense, drawing praise from coaches and teammates.
Here’s a few more miscellaneous notes to conclude the evening:
- Patriots backup quarterback Ryan Mallett is a “legitimate NFL starting quarterback” in the eyes of NFL Network’s Mike Mayock.
- Giants backup quarterback Ryan Nassib, a 2013 fourth-rounder, saw extended action in the team’s first preseason game Sunday night. He drew approval from head coach Tom Couglin, according to Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News, but “accuracy is obviously still an issue,” says ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
- Brandon Brooks‘ injury (thought to be a back injury) is a growing concern in Texans camp, writes John McClain in the Houston Chronicle.
- Mike Scifres is a solid punter, but his five-year, $18.3MM contract (with cap hits over $4MM each of the next two seasons) is the worst contract on the Chargers, in the opinion of OverTheCap.com’s Jason Fitzgerald, who says, “Putting this much stock into a punter is simply foolish.”
AFC East Notes: Bills, Pats, Satele, Salas
While Jon Bon Jovi may have been trying to endear himself – and his group of bidders – to Western New York by writing in the Buffalo News over the weekend that he wanted to see the Bills succeed in Buffalo, that letter appears to have violated the non-disclosure agreement he signed with the franchise, says Tim Graham of the Buffalo News. In fact, by speaking publicly about their bids, both Bon Jovi and Donald Trump may be in violation of that agreement, leaving Terry Pegula as the only bidder who hasn’t breached it. As Graham writes, “ramifications for confidentiality breaches are not spelled out within the document,” but it’s still an ominous start for Bon Jovi and Trump as they pursue a purchase of the Bills.
Here’s more from around the AFC East, including another note on the Bills’ sale:
- New York senator Charles Schumer remains optimistic about keeping the Bills in Buffalo, as Denise Jewell Gee of the Buffalo News details. However, Schumer added, “Words are nice, but they are not sufficient. We need an iron-clad commitment for whoever buys the team to keep the Bills in Buffalo.”
- The Patriots were one of at least four teams to place a claim on former Seahawks tackle Michael Bowie when Seattle tried to sneak him through waivers and onto injured reserve, says Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The Pats, of course, made a similar move last month, claiming rookie running back Tyler Gaffney when the Panthers tried to move him to their IR. Per Florio, the Saints and Cowboys also submitted claims for Bowie, who was ultimately awarded to the Browns.
- Veteran center Samson Satele, who last played for the Dolphins during the 2008 season, is happy to have come “full circle” after signing with Miami this weekend, as he tells James Walker of ESPN.com.
- Greg Salas‘ path to a roster spot with the Jets got a little more difficult after the team addressed the position in free agency this offseason by signing Eric Decker and Jacoby Ford. But as Dennis Waszack Jr. of The Associated Press writes, Salas has been making a case this summer that the Jets ought to keep him around for the regular season.
Minor Moves: Sunday
We’ll round up the day’s minor transactions from around the NFL right here, with additional moves listed at the top of the page throughout the afternoon and evening:
- The Redskins have filled the roster spot previously held by Jerry Rice Jr. with defensive end Jeremy Towns, tweets Mike Jones of The Washington Post. Towns is an undrafted rookie out of Samford.
Earlier Updates:
- The Redskins have waived injured wideout Jerry Rice Jr., tweets Zac Boyer of The Washington Times. The player tore the labrum in his left shoulder and will be placed on injured reserve if he clears waivers.
- The Colts have signed undrafted wide receiver Nu’Keese Richardson, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The embattled rookie attended three colleges and was charged with armed robbery.
- The Colts have also cut wide receiver Greg Moore and waived cornerback Brandon Burton, tweets Aaron Wilson of The National Football Post.
- To make room for Brock Jensen, the Dolphins have waived wide receiver Rantavious Wooten, reports the Miami Herald’s Adam Beasley (via Twitter).
- Five players cleared waivers and will be placed on their respective team’s injured reserve (via Aaron Wilson’s Twitter): Cowboys offensive lineman Darius Morris, Jaguars wideout Damian Copeland, linebacker John Lotulelei and defensive tackle Jordan Miller and Jets safety Brandon Hardin.
- The Texans have claimed center Sam Longo from the Dolphins, tweets Brian McIntyre. To make room on the roster, the team waived offensive lineman Brice Schwab.
- Jaguars wideout Damian Copeland, linebacker John Lotulelei and defensive tackle Jordan Miller have all cleared waivers and will go on the team’s injured reserve, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.
- The Chiefs have made a series of roster moves, signing defensive lineman Jairus Campbell and waiving fullback James Baker and cornerback David Van Dyke, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
- The Patriots have re-signed linebacker James Morris, according to Pat Harty of the Iowa Press-Citizen (h/t: Christopher Price of WEEI.com). Morris, an undrafted free agent out of Iowa, was waived by New England in May with a failed physical designation, but is apparently healthy now.
- The Dolphins re-signed quarterback Brock Jensen on Saturday night, just four days after cutting him, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Fellow signal-callers Matt Moore and Pat Devlin are both hurt at the moment, so Miami needed additional depth at the position as they prepare for Friday’s preseason opener. If Moore is healthy, he will of course serve as the team’s primary backup in 2014, and his injured shoulder is currently not a major concern for the club.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
AFC East Notes: Decker, Easley, Odrick, Bills
Jets wideout Eric Decker is focused on contributing to his new team and is hoping to establish himself as a bona fide number-one receiver. That may be tough without Peyton Manning throwing to him, but the 27-year-old wants to prove that his success shouldn’t be completely attributed to the future Hall of Fame quarterback.
“From Year One to Year Five now, I’ve gotten better at my craft,” Decker told Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. “I’ve become a better receiver. I’m not going to make assumptions because assuming doesn’t really do anything. In this league, you’re only as good as your last play. That’s what people remember. Numbers and statistics come and go away. And then you start over.”
Teammate Sheldon Richardson certainly envisions Decker as a premier wide receiver.
“People want to knock him for the Super Bowl or hate on him a little bit,” Richardson said, “but truth be told, that whole offense disappeared, even Peyton Manning.
But I see a No. 1 receiver in him.”
Let’s check out some more notes from the AFC East…
- ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini confirms that Jets linebacker Jermaine Cunningham has torn his ACL and is expected to miss the regular season.
- Cimini also explores whether the Jets would benefit from playing both Geno Smith and Michael Vick at quarterback. He acknowledges that having the players platoon could throw Smith off of his rhythm, but he also notes that a weapon like Vick shouldn’t be warming the bench.
- Patriots first-round pick Dominique Easley still hasn’t been cleared to practice and will not travel with the team to Richmond, sources tell The Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe. The defensive tackle, who is rehabbing from a torn ACL, is at least a week away from returning to practice.
- Dolphins defensive end Dion Jordan will be suspended for the first four games of the upcoming season, but that hasn’t prevented the player from making an impact. In fact, ESPN.com’s James Walker says the former first-rounder has been one of the team’s best defensive players in training camp. “He’s anxious to continue to develop,” defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle said. “He knows he’s got a lot of work. He’s been getting a lot of work here. We’ll continue to try to get a lot of players in the preseason games knowing that we’re going to miss him for a bit, but we envision his role is going to be extensive when he comes back and we know he’s going to be a great player for us.”
- Entering the final year of his contract, Dolphins defensive end Jared Odrick admitted that a future deal is certainly on his mind. However, he’s trying his best to focus on just football. “There’s no time where it’s (a season) not a big deal,” Odrick said (via David J. Neal of the Miami Herald). “But in terms of my situation with me being five years in, it would be a mistake if I didn’t stay focused on my duties as a football player and what I have to do physically and mentally every day. I try to focus on that more than anything else.”
- The Bills are crowded at wide receiver, but NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal tweets that Marcus Easley “should be a lock” considering his contributions on special teams.
East Links: Revis, Jets, Brown
As the Bills and Giants prepare to kick off the preseason in tonight’s Hall of Fame game, let’s take a look at some links from some of their fellow teams in the league’s east divisions:
- It will be difficult for Dolphins‘ running back Daniel Thomas to stay on Miami’s roster, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Thomas is, of course, behind Lamar Miller and Knowshon Moreno on the team’s depth chart, but he has also lost his biggest advocate in former GM Jeff Ireland and Mike Gillislee has been more active in training camp.
- Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes that the Jets received a $1.75MM salary cap credit this season as a result of an injury grievance settlement with former nose tackle Sione Po’uha. The team would have had a great deal of salary cap room even without the settlement, but now they have about $21MM of cap space.
- In the same piece, Cimini notes that the recent deals for 2011 first-round selections Tyson Smith and Patrick Peterson will not hurry the Jets in extension talks with their own 2011 first-rounder, Muhammad Wilkerson. A new deal for the big defensive lineman may not happen until next year.
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Jets‘ LB Jermaine Cunningham, who the team hoped would provide pass-rush help in 2014, is believed to have torn his ACL, thus ending his season.
- The freshly-inked extensions for Tyson Smith and Patrick Peterson have proven to be useful fodder for beat writers from around the league. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes that those new deals have set the bar for key members of the Patriots‘ roster like Nate Solder and Darrelle Revis. Although Revis is technically under contract for the next two seasons, no one expects New England to pick up his $12.5MM option bonus for 2015, which would saddle the club with a $25MM cap hit. As such, Revis–assuming he stays healthy and productive–will be eyeing Peterson’s deal (as well as those recently signed by Richard Sherman and Joe Haden) as a benchmark for a new contract of his own. However, he will turn 30 next July and has a torn ACL in his past, so a “pay-as-you-go” deal like that signed by Sherman may be a more fitting option. Solder, meanwhile, is under contract for a more reasonable $7.44MM in 2015, so while an extension for him is not a top priority just yet, Smith’s new contract may guide negotiations if and when extension talks commence.
- Giants kicker Josh Brown knows that his spot on the team’s roster is far from guaranteed, writes Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. His competition with Brandon McManus, who is 12 years his junior, begins in earnest tonight.
- John Keim of ESPN.com examines the Redskins roster battle at inside linebacker.