Extra Points: Bills, Boldin, Brady, Browns
The Bills would be smart to add some competition at quarterback and trading for Kirk Cousins could be one way for them light a fire under E.J. Manuel. Mike Rodak of ESPN.com looked at why a deal for the Redskins‘ No. 2 QB could happen, why it might not happen, and what it would take to get it done. More from around the National Football League:
- Consistent with what we’ve been hearing this offseason, the 49ers want wide receiver Anquan Boldin back and the feeling is mutual, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
- Would the Patriots ever trade Tom Brady? Bob Neumeier and Fred Toucher stopped by CSNNE.com (video link) for some friendly debate.
- Andrew Cohen of OverTheCap wonders if the Browns‘ situation is really so bad despite their many question marks. The Browns have a tremendous talent in Josh Gordon and lots of cap room to work with this offseason.
- The Bears announced that Pat Meyer has been promoted to offensive line coach, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter).
- Veteran defensive tackle Vaughn Martin visited the Jets and Lions over the last two weeks and is fully recovered from the hernia surgery he underwent during last season, tweets Adam Caplan of SiriusXM. The Canadian has recorded 78 tackles and three sacks over the course of his NFL career.
Extra Points: Bills, Knighton, Eagles, Ravens
After we heard yesterday that New York State had appointed several members to a committee tasked with exploring the possibility of a new stadium for the Bills, team president and CEO Russ Brandon released a statement indicating that the franchise’s primary focus is on upgrading Ralph Wilson Stadium (link via The Buffalo News). Mike Rodak of ESPN.com also passes along several comments made by Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz on WGR 550, explaining why a new stadium might not be viable in the short term.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton reportedly intends to seek a new contract this offseason, but the odds of him receiving one aren’t great, according to Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com.
- Wide receiver will be a position to keep an eye on in Philadelphia this offseason, as the Eagles decide whether they’ll bring back Jeremy Maclin and/or Riley Cooper. Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer takes an in-depth look at the position.
- Given the presence of new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak and the high value the club places on special teams, free-agent-to-be Jacoby Jones has multiple reasons to consider a return to the Ravens, says Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com.
- While it won’t necessarily be anywhere near the top of the team’s to-do list this offseason, the Ravens should make an effort to upgrade their defensive line if they can, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk expects it to be a buyer’s market for free agent receivers this offseason, and thinks that the Patriots, among other teams, could benefit.
- Don’t expect much excitement from this year’s restricted free agent market, writes ESPN.com’s John Clayton, who says that this year’s class of restricted free agents is among the least impressive in recent memory.
- Anthony Kuehn of the Detroit Free Press takes an in-depth look at the Lions’ 22 free-agents-to-be.
AFC East Notes: Edelman, Bills, Dolphins
Let’s round up a few of the latest updates from around the AFC East….
- Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com doesn’t expect the market for Julian Edelman this offseason to exceed $6MM per year, in which case he believes there’s a good chance the free agent receiver returns to the Patriots.
- Governor of New York Andrew M. Cuomo has appointed the first five members to group known as the New Stadium Working Group, which will be tasked with exploring the possibility of building a new stadium for the Bills, according to Gene Warner and Jonathan D. Epstein of the Buffalo News. New York State, Erie County and the Bills will all be responsible for appointing up to seven members to the board, which is poised to meet “within the next two weeks” to begin discussions.
- Even if the Dolphins can extract a sixth- or seventh-round pick out of another team in exchange for Jonathan Martin, Miami should simply cut him rather than keeping him on the roster through potentially lengthy trade negotiations, argues Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Releasing Martin and allowing Richie Incognito to sign elsewhere would at least symbolically close the door on last year’s bullying scandal, allowing the team to move forward, says Salguero.
- ESPN.com’s James Walker wonders if the Dolphins might have interest in offensive lineman Gabe Carimi, who was released yesterday by the Buccaneers.
NFL Execs Weigh In On Michael Sam
As the world reacted to the news that the NFL might soon see its first openly gay current player last night, so did anonymous NFL club officials. The feedback from decision makers around the league was not nearly as positive as the general public’s.
Sports Illustrated’s Pete Thamel and Thayer Evans polled eight NFL executives and coaches, and the overwhelming consensus was that the announcement would hurt Michael Sam‘s draft stock. The redshirt senior from the University of Missouri is predicted as a mid- to late-round draft pick, but one NFL player personnel assistant told SI he doesn’t feel football is ready for an openly gay player.
“In the coming decade or two, it’s going to be acceptable, but at this point in time it’s still a man’s-man game,” the assistant said. “To call somebody a [gay slur] is still so commonplace. It’d chemically imbalance an NFL locker room and meeting room.”
Three general managers and one scout spoke on the condition of anonymity to The MMQB’s Peter King, with one GM saying his team had discussed the issue at draft meetings in recent days.
“First of all, we don’t think he’s a very good player,” the GM told King. “The reality is he’s an overrated football player in our estimation. Second: He’s going to have expectations about where he should be drafted, and I think he’ll be disappointed. He’s not going to get drafted where he thinks he should. The question you will ask yourself, knowing your team, is, ‘How will drafting him affect your locker room?’ And I am sorry to say where we are at this point in time, I think it’s going to affect most locker rooms. A lot of guys will be uncomfortable. Ten years from now, fine. But today, I think being openly gay is a factor in the locker room.”
The results were more positive today, as a legion of owners and coaches – each of whom were willing to put their names with their words – voiced their support for a potential gay player as a member of their team. Giants co-owners Steve Tisch and John Mara backed Sam loudly, in statements to TMZ and Conor Orr of The Star-Ledger respectively. Meanwhile, one team personnel executive told NFL.com columnist Judy Battista that he could see owners pushing their coaches and personnel staff “it’s OK” to draft Sam.
Other notable league personnel to come out in support of Sam include Bears GM Phil Emery, Packers coach Mike McCarthy and Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Kraft’s coach, Bill Belichick, released a statement via the team’s website, expressing that he and the Pats pursue players “who can best contribute to our team and organization, regardless of the matters being discussed today.” The league also released its own statement in support of Sam and his efforts.
Stepping away from the issue of Sam’s personal life, NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said he has a “pretty good feel” for the undersized Southeastern Conference defensive player of the year, projecting him as a third- to fifth-round pick.
“He’s an explosive kid who’s much better going forward than he is going backward,” Mayock told Philly.com’s Paul Domowitch. “His size would dictate he’s got to be a linebacker, but I don’t think his physical skill-set dictates that, and therein lies the rub.”
With the NFL scouting combine less than two weeks away, each team will have its opportunity to interview Sam with this historic news out in the public. Sam’s performance at the combine could go a long way in defining his draft value, which was murky even before his announcement — given his size and speed, there are questions about whether he’ll have a true NFL position. A strong showing at the combine, along with impressive interviews with NFL teams, should solidify his place as a mid-round pick, particularly given the outcry of public support from various owners and executives today.
We’ll have to wait until May to know definitively what sort of effect Sunday’s announcement will have on Sam’s draft stock. But if the Missouri alum has shown anything to us this far, it’s that he’s mature beyond his 24 years and ready for whatever life has to throw at him next.
Colts Sign Henoc Muamba
MONDAY, 12:28pm: Muamba’s deal includes $107K in guaranteed money, according to Field Yates of ESPNBoston.com (via Twitter). As Brian McIntyre tweets, that’s the largest amount of guaranteed money included in any futures contract signed to date.
THURSDAY, 7:35pm: The Colts announced that they have signed former CFL linebacker Henoc Muamba. The first overall pick in the CFL’s 2011 draft worked out for multiple NFL teams in recent months, including the Ravens and Browns. Brian McIntyre (on Twitter) adds that Muamba also auditioned for the Broncos, Patriots, and Vikings.
Yesterday, the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced that they were releasing the linebacker to allow him to pursue an opportunity in the NFL. Terms of Muamba’s deal are not yet known. While I would think that the middle linebacker’s deal is a reserve/futures contract, it seems possible that he got more than the minimum salary based on the number of teams that showed interest in recent weeks.
Recently, the Chiefs landed another standout CFL import in wide receiver Weston Dressler, after he was let out of his contract with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Kansas City inked Dressler to a reserve/futures pact.
AFC Notes: Pats, Gaine, Browns, Harris
Earlier today, we rounded up several Monday morning items from across the NFC. Now, we’ll turn attention to the conference which has been on the losing end of five of the last seven Super Bowls, the AFC:
- The Patriots have a little over $8.5MM in dead money on their books for 2014, but the majority of that stems from Aaron Hernandez’s contract, as Field Yates of ESPNBoston.com outlines. The team continues to seek cap relief for Hernandez’s deal, but even if New England is unsuccessful in that endeavor, the dead money doesn’t cripple the club’s cap outlook, writes Yates.
- After failing to land the general manager job in Miami, former Dolphins assistant GM Brian Gaine is joining the Texans as the team’s director of pro personnel, reports Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (via Twitter).
- While the Browns’ offensive line has remained “uncannily intact” for the last two seasons, the team has been stockpiling developmental players and could be in the market for three new starters in 2014, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com.
- Undergoing ACL surgery heading into his restricted free agency didn’t bode particularly well for Chris Harris’ stock, but the Broncos cornerback had no other ligament or cartilage damage and only a partial tear of the ACL, a source tells Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The injury may have cost Harris a first-rounder tender, but he should still receive a second-round tender from the Broncos, and his recovery looks promising.
- In a Ravens notebook, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun examines the team’s need at center, James Ihedigbo’s impending free agency, and the odds of the club rolling the dice on troubled free agent linebacker Erin Henderson.
Patriots Notes: Franchise Tag, Wilfork
Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald examines what, if anything, the Patriots will do with the franchise tag this offseason. She notes that, after the 2012 season, New England had three players who were considered legitimate candidates for the tag: Aqib Talib, Wes Welker, and Sebastian Vollmer. Of course, the Pats let Talib hit the open market, eventually re-signing him to a one-year deal. They locked up Vollmer to a long-term contract, and they let Welker walk.
This year, there are only two Patriots free agents who could realistically receive the tag: Talib and Julian Edelman. Although the cost of the franchise tag for cornerbacks and wide receives is fairly similar, somewhere in the $11MM ballpark, Guregian believes New England will not consider tagging Edelman. After all, Welker was not tagged last season–when the cost of the tag for wide receivers was $11.4MM– and he had a more extensive history of productivity and chemistry with Tom Brady.
However, given Talib’s importance to the defense and the possibility that the cost for all talented defensive backs might spike with the recent play of the Seahawks’ secondary, it will not be so easy to let him test free agency for the second straight year. Nonetheless, Guregian, perhaps with the Patriots’ relatively small cap space in mind, thinks Talib will indeed have a chance to shop his services to other teams, while New England will look to negotiate a long-term deal with him. She believes the team will not tag Talib to buy extra time to work out a deal, as they did with Vince Wilfork in 2010.
Speaking of Wilfork, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss believes the Patriots will not cut the big defensive tackle just yet. He will cost the team $11.5MM against the cap, but even at age 32, Reiss feels Wilfork’s performance will still justify the price. As noted previously, Joel Corry on CBSSports.com sees the Patriots trying to restructure Wilfork’s contract to gain some cap flexibility for 2014.
AFC Notes: Talib, Welker, Edelman
Early indications are that free agent market for Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib will be “more robust” in 2014 than it was a year, ago, a league source told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Talib returned to the Patriots in 2013 on a one-year, $5MM contract. According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Albert Breer, Talib turned down a five-year deal in hopes of “cashing in afterward.”
Now is his chance.
Citing injury concerns, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss projected a three-to-four year deal for Talib with around $8MM per season and $12-14MM guaranteed. Talib totaled four interceptions and 13 passes defended in 2013, earning his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors.
Other notes from the AFC:
- Broncos receiver Wes Welker carries with him an $8MM hit against the cap in 2014, writes Florio.
- Should the two sides want to work out a new deal, there is little time to do so, as Welker’s $6MM in compensation becomes official in March.
- If no new deal can be reached, and the Broncos deem Welker too expensive, Florio names Patriots‘ receiver and Welker-clone Julian Edelman as a possible replacement.
- Florio even goes so far as to mention New England as a possible landing spot for Welker, but is quick to point out how ludicrous that would be, given Bill Belichick‘s recent comments regarding his former Pro Bowl slot receiver.
AFC Notes: Jags, McCourty, Decker
The Jaguars have been upfront about the team’s desire to re-sign Chad Henne as well as draft at least one quarterback, but GM Dave Caldwell told Jacksonville.com’s Vito Stellino (subscription required) he won’t be a slave to need: “If we’re going to give into pressure (to take a quarterback high if they have other players rated higher), we’re going to make the wrong decision,’’ he said. “Our vision is to build a franchise that can sustain and win over a period of time. In that process, if a quarterback presents himself, we’ll grab him.’’
- Patriots safety Devin McCourty earned a $3MM contract bump for 2014, the final year of his rookie deal, because he played 80 percent of the snaps his first four years, according to Christopher Price of WEEI.com.
- Broncos free agents Eric Decker and Knowshon Moreno would like to return to Denver, but they don’t know their futures, and executive VP of football operations John Elway is being vague about the team’s plans, per Colorado’s 9news.com. Industry insiders expect both players to be too expensive for the Broncos to re-sign, especially Decker, who will be highly sought after on the open market.
Extra Points: Incognito, Gross, Suggs, Pats
Executives and players who spoke to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report expressed confidence that Richie Incognito would continue to find NFL work going forward, but weren’t as certain about Jonathan Martin’s future. Lingering questions about Martin’s trustworthiness and mental health make him a bigger question mark around the league than Incognito, whose off-field question marks are at least more familiar for NFL teams.
“He’s not a good guy, but we’re not a league of good guys,” one GM said of Incognito. “There are some bad guys in football, but it’s football, not the Salvation Army. He can play, if the commissioner allows it, he’ll get another job.”
Here’s more from around the league:
- Several contracts around the league voided today, adding more players to the 2014 free agent list, as expected. In a series of tweets, Joel Corry and Brian McIntryre listed a few of the notable players whose deals voided, including Brian Orakpo, Brandon Meriweather, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, B.J. Raji, and Corey Webster.
- Another player whose deal was set to void today was Panthers offensive lineman Jordan Gross, who remains undecided on whether or not he’ll continue his career, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. As Corry notes (via Twitter), voiding Gross’ contract would result in $5.6MM of dead money on Carolina’s cap, so the team probably would’ve liked to push that deadline into March, if possible. It’s not clear yet whether the club managed to do anything like that though.
- The latest piece from Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report is chock full of interesting tidbits, including word that the Ravens still believe Terrell Suggs is a valuable asset, meaning the team is more likely to try to restructure his deal than to release him. Pompei also notes that many NFL team execs are happy this year’s draft was pushed back, since they’ll need that extra time to evaluate the record number of underclassmen among 2014’s class.
- While Michael Bennett, Anthony Spencer, and Jason Worilds are among the intriguing pass-rushing options in this year’s free agent class, Orakpo and Greg Hardy make up the top tier, writes Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com.
- A day after looking at the Seahawks’ future, Joel Corry of The National Football Post turns his attention to what’s next for the Broncos.
- Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com provides a brief snapshot of every position on the Patriots’ offense, assessing whether or not the team will address each spot in free agency or the draft.