AFC East Notes: Dolphins, Jerry, Jones
On Saturday we took a look at how the Wells Report would hurt the four Dolphins‘ players involved, and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald believes the NFL will come in with fines and suspensions at some point this offseason. While Richie Incognito could get off easy because he was already suspended last season. Mike Pouncey could still be suspended a few games, and Salguero guesses that offensive line coach Jim Turner could be sidelined for the season due to his involvement.
- While Salguero doesn’t mention whether or not Dolphins‘ guard John Jerry will be suspended, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald writes that he may not have a job in 2014 either way. Jerry has struggled with weight issues and poor play in his NFL career, and being implicated in the report could be enough to keep him off an NFL roster this season.
- We already passed along ideas of how the Patriots could bolster their pass rush, and Paul Kenyon of the Providence Journal gives some other options along the defensive line. Kenyon sees Chandler Jones‘ older brother Arthur Jones as being at the top of the Patriots’ wish list.
- The Patriots were never a lock to use the franchise tag this offseason, even though Julian Edelman and Aqib Talib were the two most likely candidates. Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald still believes there is a better chance that the team does not use the tag at all.
- The Jets are also unlikely to use the franchise tag this offseason, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. The only players who would make sense are right tackle Austin Howard and kicker Nick Folk. In either case, the price would be too significant for the positions, although Folk is much more likely.
Reiss On Patriots: McDaniels, Lombardi, Smith
Mike Reiss of ESPN.com believes Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ hesitation regarding the Browns head coaching vacancy was related to his desire not to become the next Eric Mangini. Mangini, also once a Patriots assistant, took head coaching jobs with both the Jets and the Browns. After uninspiring results at each stop, he is now 43 years old and might struggle to get another opportunity. McDaniels might look to take a more cautious, forward-thinking approach, aiming for the perfect fit rather than jumping at the first opportunity presented.
More Patriots notes from Reiss:
- The notion that McDaniels actually did want the Browns job all along doesn’t seem to make sense, according to Reiss. Given the Browns perceived desperation regarding their coaching search, it seems unlikely they wouldn’t have tried to lock down McDaniels if there was any chance to do so.
- Speaking of the Browns, if former Cleveland GM Mike Lombardi does end up joining the Patriots front office, it will likely be in a consultant-type role, similar to that previously held by Floyd Reese in New England.
- Even if the Patriots get any more cap room based on the Aaron Hernandez contract situation, it is unlikely to be resolved quickly enough to affect this offseason’s spending.
- Reiss elaborates on his earlier contention that the recently released Will Smith could be an option for the Patriots.
Will Smith Open To 4-3 Or 3-4 Defense
Although Will Smith, one of the Saints’ most recent salary cap casualties, would prefer to return to his natural position as a defensive end in a 4-3 front, he remains open to serving as a 3-4 outside linebacker as well, according to NFL.com’s Kevin Petra. Of course, Smith expected to move to outside linebacker last season after Rob Ryan was hired as the Saints defensive coordinator, but a torn ACL ended his season before it ever really began. Smith said:
“I think I’m at heart a 4-3 defensive end. That’s something I would like to play. But if I go to a team that requires me to play outside linebacker, I’m cool with that too.”
As Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio writes, Smith is wise to keep his options open. Just last season, Dwight Freeney expressed a desire to return to his natural position of 4-3 defensive end, but when Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram tore his ACL, a different opportunity opened up for Freeney.
Smith’s track record as a pass-rusher is likely to appeal to a number of teams, particularly if those teams believe he would be open to whichever defensive scheme they utilize. His age (he will be 33 when the season begins) will keep his cost down, and as players like Freeney, John Abraham, and James Harrison proved last season, there is a market for an older player that can still get after the quarterback. Furthermore, since Smith was cut and was not an unrestricted free agent, he would not count against the compensatory pick formula, making him even more attractive to teams that keep an especially close eye on their compensatory selections.
As Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com writes, Smith is an eminently viable option for the Patriots. However, he will likely have a number of suitors to choose from as the offseason progresses.
AFC Notes: Steelers, Patriots, Browns
There has been a great deal of speculation regarding what the Steelers will do with their talented duo of LaMarr Woodley and Jason Worilds, but Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette gives the most definitive prediction to date. He writes that “it is just not conceivable” that the team will be able to retain both players for the 2014 season, and he believes Woodley will be odd-man out. By cutting Woodley now, the Steelers would suffer a $14.17MM cap hit this year, which is not significantly more than the $13.59MM hit they would take if they kept him. Plus, after 2014, he would be off the books entirely, which is a tantalizing prospect for a team that has backed itself into a difficult salary-cap situation.
Of course, as has been noted previously, Pittsburgh could designate Woodley as a post-June 1 release, which would spread out the $14.17MM hit over the 2014 and 2015 seasons and give the team an extra $8MM to spend this year. However, that $8MM would not become available until after June 1, which would limit what the Steelers could do in free agency (either with their own free agents or with those from other clubs). Whichever route the team takes, Bouchette believes Woodley has played his last game as a Steeler.
Other notes from the AFC:
- Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette believes the Steelers will not re-sign Emmanuel Sanders, and Christopher Price of WEEI.com thinks the Patriots would take another shot at Sanders if he is, in fact, still available when free agency begins in March. New England, of course, signed Sanders to an offer sheet last offseason when he was a restricted free agent, prompting Pittsburgh to match the offer to retain the speedy wideout. If New England were to re-sign Julian Edelman, then the Patriots would likely not pursue Sanders, as the two players offer similar skill-sets. But if Edelman finds greener pastures elsewhere, Sanders may become a top free-agent priority for New England.
- Meanwhile, Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald thinks that, now the Larry Fitzgerald-to-New England dream is dead, the Patriots will not look outside its own roster to find the big-play outside receiver the team covets. The answer, she writes, could be second-year man Aaron Dobson, who has all the physical tools and who looked better and better as the 2013 season progressed.
- In a recent Q & A with Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, new Browns GM Ray Farmer indicates that he has a favorite quarterback in this year’s draft class, but that quarterback may not be Johnny Manziel. In fact, Farmer said the QB he likes “may not be the name that everybody thinks is the latest, greatest, and the easy one to spot,” and he suggested that Cleveland’s No. 4 overall pick may be too high for this unnamed player. Farmer is already adept at “GM-speak,” as the rest of his answers consisted primarily of the vague generalities one would expect from a high-ranking executive at this time of the year, but his musings about his favorite QB are nonetheless intriguing.
AFC Notes: Raiders, Patriots, Mathews
Although the Raiders recently signed CFL Grey Cup MVP Kory Sheets, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com sees that as only part of the running back picture in 2014. While he writes that Sheets will be hungry to prove he belongs, Gutierrez believes the competition will be a three horse race. He sees the team re-signing Rashad Jennings to be the frontrunner, but that the organization is very high on second year player Latavius Murray. Darren McFadden is not expected to return. Here are some other notes from around the AFC:
- Gutierrez outlines his ideal offseason for the Raiders, a franchise with over $60.7MM in cap space according to OverTheCap.com. His wish list includes Alex Mack at center, Mark Sanchez at quarterback, and receiver Sammy Watkins of Clemson with the team’s first round pick. He also wants the team to retain Lamarr Houston to be their left end and sign Jared Allen to rush the passer from the other side.
- The Patriots‘ pass rush wasn’t great in 2013, and Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald has a plan to improve that this offseason. It will take a few cuts and a restructuring of Vince Wilfork‘s contract that will pay him $11.6MM next season, but with free agents such as Allen and Shaun Phillips, and a draft deep with passrushing talent, Howe can see the Patriots being better in 2014.
- Ryan Mathews is coming off a career year for the Chargers, but the team’s former superstar runningback has advice for Mathews. In an interview with Michael Gehlken of UT San Diego, LaDanian Tomlinson, “My advice to Ryan would be just to ball out like he did this past season, and everything will take care of itself. You go to everything in the offseason. You prove your worth to the team by being there, not by being absent.” Chargers fans would be happy if Mathews is able to adhere to the advice of his predecessor. “Do your business on the field, and everything takes care of itself.”
Corry On Pay Cut Candidates
In our previous post, we highlighted young stars entering their prime years and poised to land lucrative second contracts. At the other end of the spectrum, Joel Corry of National Football Post spotlighted five veterans who could be asked to take a pay cut:
- Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey – Will be 36 next season after playing just five regular season contests in 2013 (foot injury). Simply put, Bailey’s cost to the team is not commensurate with his diminished skills, as he’s scheduled to count $10.5MM against the cap next year.
- Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware – Dallas’ cap woes were detailed last week. At the top of the “To Do” list is Ware, who carries a $16MM cap number as a result of three restructurings. Bothered by an elbow injury which necessitated off-season surgery, Ware managed just six sacks in 2013. Corry says Ware has indicated he’s willing to go down that road again, “but a pay cut is a different story.” If the Cowboys release Ware, the team stands to gain approximately $7.4MM of cap room.
- 49ers running back Frank Gore – Not unlike catchers in baseball, running backs trend downward beyond age 30. Gore will be 31 in 2014 when he’s scheduled to count $6.45MM against the cap, though he’s considered an “old” 31 given his career workload and injury history. With a strong offensive line and dual-threat quarterback Colin Kaepernick entering his prime, it’s reasonable to think Gore’s production could be had for cheaper, be it in the form of Gore himself at a reduced rate or perhaps 2013 “redshirt” Marcus Lattimore, who is waiting in the wings.
- Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu – The soon-to-be 33-year-old has the NFL’s highest 2014 cap number among safeties (approximately $10.9MM), but Polamalu’s play has fallen off to the point where his reputation exceeds his performance. According to Corry, “A pay cut could be folded into an extension that lowers Polamalu’s cap number and ensures that he never plays with another NFL team.”
- Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork – Corry describes the veteran Wilfork’s situation as “precarious” because the final year of his five-year deal weighs $11.6MM against the cap. That number ranks second-highest on the roster behind Tom Brady, and the team has just under $3.9MM of cap room at present time. Wilfork has been a rock, but the Pats cannot afford to devote nine percent of the cap to a 32-year-old run stuffer coming off a torn Achilles tendon injury, especially with the team attempting to re-sign Aqib Talib.
AFC Notes: Martin, Bonuses, Colts, Kolb
In the wake of the publication of the Ted Wells report, Jonathan Martin’s agent Kenny Zuckerman reiterated to several reporters today, including ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link), that his client fully intends to continue his NFL career in 2014. Jim Harbaugh, Martin’s former coach at Stanford, believes that the offensive tackle should fare better in another team’s locker room, as Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee details. Meanwhile, Mike Garafalo of FOX Sports tweets that Martin’s camp will meet with the Dolphins as soon as next week at the scouting combine.
Richie Incognito‘s lawyer has publicly suggested that the Wells report is “replete with errors,” while Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald hears from a Dolphins source that offensive line coach Jim Turner is almost certainly done in Miami (Twitter link). There may still be more twists and turns coming in this story, but for now we’ll focus on a few other non-Dolphins items around the AFC:
- While it won’t affect teams’ salary cap figures, plenty of clubs are set to pay out deferred bonus money this weekend. The Patriots will pay Tom Brady $5MM of his signing bonus, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com. Brian McIntyre reports (via Twitter) that the Chiefs and Dolphins will also pay out bonus money on Saturday, including $6MM to Tamba Hali and $5MM to Dwayne Bowe for Kansas City.
- With Trent Richardson and Vick Ballard set to return to the Colts’ backfield, it wouldn’t be surprising to see prospective free agent Donald Brown land elsewhere, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.
- A history of concussions has placed Kevin Kolb‘s NFL future in doubt, and Bills coach Doug Marrone told WGR 550 today that he still isn’t sure if Kolb is planning to return to the team. ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak has the details. With a $1MM roster bonus owed to the quarterback next month, the Bills may end up releasing Kolb or restructuring his deal.
- Within his latest look around the NFL, Bleacher Report’s Dan Pompei revisits the Browns‘ front office situation, providing details about Ray Farmer‘s GM candidacy with the Dolphins, Cleveland’s head coaching search, and Joe Banner‘s future job prospects.
- The Titans should try to re-sign cornerback Alterraun Verner, safety Bernard Pollard, and defensive end Ropati Pitoitua, but should be content to let wide receiver Kenny Britt and a few other free agents walk, suggests Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
AFC East Notes: Wells Report, Patriots, Jets
Ted Wells and the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP have released their report on the Dolphins‘ bullying scandal, and their findings can be found right here. If you don’t have time to read the full, 140-page report, here’s the abridged version: While Richie Incognito promised that the truth would “bury” Jonathan Martin, the Wells report certainly doesn’t do that, instead emphatically rejecting “any suggestion that Martin manufactured claims of abuse after the fact to cover up an impetuous decision to leave the team.” That decision to leave the team was indeed “the result of persistent bullying and harassment by some of his teammates,” according to the report.
Here’s more on the Dolphins and the rest of the AFC East:
- In addition to implicating Incognito, the Wells report also suggests that fellow linemen Mike Pouncey and John Jerry participated in “a pattern of harassment” directed at Martin, another young offensive lineman, and an assistant trainer. Considering the Dolphins seem intent on washing their hands of the situation by moving on from Incognito and Martin, it stands to reason that Pouncey and Jerry may not return to the team either.
- The Dolphins and the league both released statements following the publication of the report indicating that they’re looking into the matter further.
- Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald attempts to determine the best route for improving the Patriots’ wide receiving group, ultimately suggesting that re-signing Julian Edelman and perhaps adding another free agent makes more sense than targeting receivers in the draft.
- While Rex Ryan‘s Jets typically acquires safeties on the cheap, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com believes it’s time for the team to start investing a little more money into the position.
East Notes: Nicks, Cowboys, Patriots, Jets
Here are a few of the latest links of note from out of the NFC’s and AFC’s East divisions:
- Victor Cruz has lobbied for fellow Giants receiver and pending free agent Hakeem Nicks to re-sign with New York, according to Conor Orr of the Star-Ledger. “Selfishly, I would love for him to stay,” Cruz said, confirming that he’s talked to Nicks about it.
- As if the Cowboys didn’t already have enough 2014 cap commitments, running back DeMarco Murray will have a slightly higher cap number than expected, as Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com details. Murray triggered performance escalators that will bump his base salary from about $755K to nearly $1.4MM.
- In a photo gallery, the Dallas Morning News suggests 10 free agent quarterbacks the Cowboys might consider as a No. 3 option behind Tony Romo or Kyle Orton.
- Mike Reiss of ESPN.com attempts to gauge the free agent value of Aqib Talib around the NFL by compiling a few links to see where Talib ranks on various lists of top free agents. As Reiss writes, the veteran cornerback will be among the Patriots‘ top priorities this offseason.
- In a separate blog entry, Reiss weighs in on a few other Patriots stories, indicating that he doesn’t think Josh McDaniels was as interested in the Browns’ head coaching job as an earlier report suggests, and that he believe the Pats will again have interest in free agent receiver Emmanuel Sanders this offseason.
- With the right side of the Jets‘ offensive line poised to hit free agency, it would behoove the team to re-sign both guard Willie Colon and tackle Austin Howard, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Cimini expects the club to make a “strong push” to re-sign Howard, while perhaps taking a wait-and-see approach with Colon and the right guard position.
Latest On Browns’ Front Office
After parting ways with the Browns, former Cleveland general manager Michael Lombardi doesn’t seem likely to rejoin the NFL Network or another media outlet. Instead, it appears Lombardi could reach an agreement with the Patriots to join New England’s front office. Chris Fedor of 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland first reported (via Twitter) that Lombardi seemed to be on track to join the Patriots, though he cautioned that nothing was finalized yet. Several other similar reports followed, most recently from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who tweets this morning that Lombardi has had discussions about joining the Pats, though “nothing is firm or official yet.”
While Lombardi talks to the Patriots, Ray Farmer is settling into his role as the Browns’ new GM, and CEO Joe Banner is in the process of transitioning out of the organization. We have a few more details on them and some leftovers from the Browns’ coaching search, so let’s round up the highlights….
- League sources tell Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer that Banner and Lombardi ended on bad terms with one another in Cleveland, with their discord prompting owner Jimmy Haslam to let go of both execs.
- According to Cabot, Banner wanted to fire Lombardi by the end of the team’s lengthy coaching search. At the same time, Haslam had grown weary of Banner, feeling that some of the Browns’ head coaching targets weren’t willing to accept, or even interview for, the club’s coaching job because of Banner’s position in the front office.
- Ken Whisenhunt and Bill O’Brien were among the candidates who had concerns about the Browns’ management team, according to Cabot.
- In addition to there being internal discord over Greg Schiano‘s candidacy, as we heard yesterday, Haslam and Banner were also at odds over Josh McDaniels, says Cabot. Haslam was more enthusiastic about McDaniels, and while reports indicated McDaniels pulled out of the mix, the Patriots offensive coordinator actually contacted the Browns to get his name back into consideration. He remained in the running right up until the Browns decided on Mike Pettine, according to Cabot.
- Cabot writes that Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase was the only candidate on the Browns’ list to actually decline an interview, which seems to contradict an earlier suggestion that O’Brien wasn’t interested in interviewing with the team. Perhaps O’Brien wasn’t formally on the Browns’ list of targets this time around, after interviewing with the club a year ago.
- In the first installment of a two-part piece for ESPNCleveland.com, Tony Grossi spoke to Farmer about taking over as the Browns’ general manager.