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NFC South Notes: Panthers, Davis, Saints

June 16th, 2015 at 8:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Jameis Winston worked with the second-team offense Tuesday on the opening day of the Buccaneers‘ minicamp, but coach Lovie Smith says it has no bearing on who will be the team’s starting QB, Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com writes. For his part, the No. 1 overall pick says that he doesn’t feel entitled to anything. “I haven’t earned [the starting job] until I get it,” Winston said. Here’s more from the NFC South..

Panthers coach Ron Rivera can’t see outside linebacker Thomas Davis retiring after his contract extension ends in 2017, as David Newton of ESPN.com writes. “I really can’t,” Rivera said. “Knowing him, it’ll be, ‘We’ll see how I am every year?’ … I know we talked about he’s going to retire a Panther. Maybe in three, four or five years, knowing him. As long as he stays healthy he’s got a great chance to extend his career.” The 14th overall pick out of Georgia back in 2005, Davis has been a key piece of the Panthers’ defense since entering the league, appearing in 117 games (99 starts) for the team over the last decade. For his career, he has racked up nearly 750 tackles to go along with 17.5 sacks, six interceptions, and 13 forced fumbles.
It took Kevin Williams a while to sign with a new team this summer, but he wasted little time getting acclimated to the Saints, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes. Still, he’s already gotten plenty of reminders about his age. “Man, you’d be surprised the stories I’ve gotten. They made me feel old, like, ‘We used to play with you on Madden,’ and all these things,” Williams said. “So I really didn’t have to do much introducing. The guys already knew who I was.” Williams hooked on with New Orleans last week.
In addition to working out wide receiver Matt James today, as was previously reported, the Saints also took a look at punter Chase Tenpenny and long snapper Chris Highland, writes Evan Woodbery of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Extra Points: Sam, Foles, Thompson, FXFL

June 16th, 2015 at 3:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Conspiracy theories have emerged about Michael Sam and why he requested permission last Friday to leave the his CFL team’s training camp for personal reasons. There are still no concrete answers as to why the NFL’s first openly gay drafted player made that call, Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal Gazette writes.

In a separate piece, Zurkowsky notes that the latest theory is that Sam sensed that he wouldn’t make the Montreal Alouettes’ roster and – seeing the writing on the wall – left to save face for himself and the club. While GM Jim Popp says the door remains open for Sam’s return, another source within the organization said that’s unlikely to happen. The Alouettes officially moved the former Rams draftee to the suspended list, according to the CFL (on Twitter).

Let’s round up a few more odds and ends from around the football world:

Following up on yesterday’s report about extension talks between Nick Foles and the Rams, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com tweets that the quarterback loves being in St. Louis, but will let agent David Dunn handle negotiations. As Wagoner adds in a second tweet, the Rams are talking to a few potential 2016 free agents about new contracts, so it doesn’t sound like they’re focused exclusively on Foles.
Taylor Thompson‘s 2015 season is off to an ominous start. According to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean, the Titans tight end is facing a fine for arriving late to the team’s mandatory minicamp, and is still having issues with the knee he injured last season, raising concerns about his NFL future.
Former Wake Forest wideout Matt James was trying out for the Saints today at the club’s minicamp, a source tells Evan Woodbery of the New Orleans Times-Picayune (Twitter link).
The FXFL is getting ready to get its 2015 season underway, but Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (on Twitter) hears from a source that multiple players are still owed money from last season. The FXFL had its first season in 2014, beginning in October. Since then, several players from the upstart league have found their way to the NFL.
Bill Williamson of ESPN.com wonders if the Raiders could be in the mix for two players released by their respective teams today, running back Shonn Greene and safety Taylor Mays.
Former Cowboys running back Tashard Choice is at the team’s minicamp today, but it’s in a coaching capacity, not as a player, as Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com explains (via Twitter).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Junior Galette Won’t Require Surgery

June 16th, 2015 at 8:05am CST by Luke Adams

After suffering a pectoral injury while lifting weights earlier in June, Saints pass rusher Junior Galette won’t require surgery to repair the damage, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. We heard nearly two weeks ago that Galette was considering going under the knife, but after consulting with multiple experts, including Dr. James Andrews, he and the team have determined that won’t be necessary.

Galette, who turned 27 in March, will attempt to recover with rest and rehab rather than surgery, and will aim to be ready for New Orleans’ regular season opener, per Rapoport. While the veteran pass rusher figures to start training camp on the club’s PUP list, he should ultimately be fine, a source tells the NFL.com scribe.

Having transfered some resources from the offensive side of the ball to the defense this offseason, the Saints will be counting on their D to play better in 2015 than it did in 2014, and Galette is a key player on the unit. The edge rusher has recorded 22 sacks and four forced fumbles over the past two seasons, and signed a $41.5MM extension back in September.

Galette’s recovery and his performance in 2015 could play a large part in his future in New Orleans. All of the fully guaranteed money on his new deal has already been paid, but his base salary for 2016 ($5MM) becomes fully guaranteed if he’s still on the roster on the third day of the 2016 league year. Given the significant amount of prorated bonus money on his contract through 2019, Galette looks like a good bet to stick with the Saints for at least a couple more years, barring a disaster on or off the field.

NFC South Notes: Glennon, Saints, Baker

June 15th, 2015 at 5:58pm CST by Zachary Links

The Buccaneers grabbed Tim Wright with their No. 1 waiver priority, but they were far from the only team to put a claim in on him. It turns out that nine other teams also submitted claims for the former Patriot. Besides Tampa Bay, the Jets, Bears, Falcons, Browns, Saints, Dolphins, Chiefs, Steelers, and Lions all tried to land the Rutgers product. In the end, however, the Bucs were able to add a player who roughly one-third of the league apparently covets. Here’s tonight’s glance at the NFC South..

In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Matt Williamson identifies five teams that he thinks should consider trading for Buccaneers quarterback Mike Glennon, identifying the Cardinals, Bears, Bengals, Browns, and Giants as potential fits.
A report from ESPN’s Outside The Lines alleged that Saints outside linebacker Ronald Powell was allowed to skate after two interactions with police, including one where traces of cocaine were found in the car he was driving. Meanwhile, agent Peter Schaffer told Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune that it is absurd to believe that police let Powell go after finding cocaine in his car and trashed the report. “As Ronald Powell‘s agent, I’ve had extensive conversations with him, and the ESPN report is a gross mischaracterization of facts and example of an absolute witch hunt,” Schaffer said.
The Falcons corrected one of their biggest contract mistakes when they released Sam Baker, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap writes. While the contract did not carry guarantees, there was an virtual or effective guarantee, which meant that little could be recouped by releasing him. Fitzgerald initially expected Atlanta to try and negotiate Baker’s salary down, but they instead chose to cut him outright.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Ten Teams Placed Claims On Tim Wright

June 15th, 2015 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

Tim Wright returned to his old team last week, when the tight end, having been cut by New England, landed with the Buccaneers, who have the NFL’s No. 1 waiver priority this offseason. However, Tampa Bay was far from the only club to place a claim on Wright. According to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter), nine other teams – 10 in total – submitted claims for the former Patriot.

Besides the Buccaneers, the teams that tried to land Wright before he reached free agency were the Jets, Bears, Falcons, Browns, Saints, Dolphins, Chiefs, Steelers, and Lions, says Yates. Most of those clubs have somewhat uncertain tight end situations — for instance, the Browns and Saints recently lost Jordan Cameron and Jimmy Graham, respectively, and the Bears aren’t sure when Martellus Bennett will report to the team.

The myriad suitors for Wright makes it even more surprising that the Patriots simply waived him last week. The young tight end just turned 25, and had racked up 80 receptions, including 11 touchdowns, in his first two years in the NFL. With Scott Chandler now in New England, Wright may not have fit into the team’s future plans, but the number of waiver claims placed for him suggests that the Pats might have been able to squeeze at least a late-round pick out of an interested club.

The Bucs have taken advantage of their top waiver priority multiple times so far this offseason, with the addition of Wright simply acting as the latest example. Tampa Bay also added former Browns punter Spencer Lanning via waivers last week, and claimed veteran safety D.J. Swearinger back in May.

NFC Links: Kuhn, Cardinals, Saints, Rams

June 13th, 2015 at 9:28am CST by Ben Levine

Most players with John Kuhn‘s resume (including three Pro Bowl selections) would scoff as the idea of competing against a rookie. However, the Packers fullback is embracing the organization’s youth, including the team’s selection of fullback Aaron Ripkowski in the sixth round of this past year’s draft.

“Excitement,” he told Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel. “We preach around here that competition breeds the best football players. If you can’t embrace that, if you don’t believe it, then what’s the point of saying it?”

Even after re-signing with Green Bay this offseason, Kuhn isn’t taking anything for granted.

“You have to. This is the NFL. Thing happen all the time and if you don’t embrace it — if you don’t truly look at it as an opportunity to make yourself better — you’re only selling yourself short.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFC…

Count current 49ers wideout Torrey Smith among those who believe Ray Rice deserves a second chance. “Good people make mistakes,” Smith told TMZ Sports regarding his former Ravens teammate. “I believe in second chances and I think society is supposed to be built on the idea that you can suffer consequences and come back. . . . People sometimes want you to apologize a certain way, crying or all upset. He’s made things right with his wife and family and earned respect with his actions since the incident.”
Cardinals general manager Steve Keim mentioned the team was open to the possibility of trades before the season, and Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com has picked out a few position groups that could still get shaken up. He picks the defensive line, secondary, and offensive line as places where the Cardinals may have some extra depth that could get moved for the right price.
Saints owner Tom Benson’s competency trial should come to a conclusion sometime next week, but Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com assures fans that no matter what the outcome and who is eventually put in charge of the team, the team has no plans to relocate, and are locked into their stadium lease until 2025.
The Rams need a new football stadium in St. Louis, and without it the team will be forced to relocate, writes Bernie Miklasz of STLToday.com. However, he analyzed the six owners Roger Goodell put in charge of overseeing possible relocation developments to Los Angeles–Clark Hunt, Robert Kraft, John Mara, Bob McNair, Jerry Richardson, and Art Rooney II. With that group in charge, Miklasz feels confident the city of St. Louis will be treated fairly.

Rob DiRe contributed to this post.

Saints Sign Kevin Williams

June 12th, 2015 at 4:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Saints have added some veteran depth to their defensive line, according to the team’s senior VP of communications, Greg Bensel. Bensel tweets that Kevin Williams has signed with the club, replacing tight end Harold Spears, who was waived.

Williams, who will turn 35 in August, visited the Saints last month, but didn’t immediately sign with the team at that point. Shortly after his trip to New Orleans, Williams told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he’d prefer to re-sign with the Seahawks, but the defending NFC champions didn’t seem to share his interest. In New Orleans, Williams will see a familiar face across the line in practice, as center Max Unger has also made the move from the Seahawks to the Saints this offseason.

While Williams isn’t the same dominant defensive force that he was from 2004 to 2009, when he earned five All-Pro nods for the Vikings, he can still be a productive player. In 2014, the former first-round pick ranked in the middle of the pack among defensive tackles, according to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required). PFF’s grades placed Williams 40th out of 81 qualified DTs, as he finished the season with 38 tackles and three sacks.

Latest On Evan Mathis

June 11th, 2015 at 8:33pm CST by Zachary Links

One of the league’s very best guards is now on the open market and teams are already circling the wagons. Which teams are in Evan Mathis and which clubs look like potential fits? Let’s find out..

It’s not clear if Mathis has interest in the Bills, but the Bills are curious to find out, according to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (on Twitter). That union could make a lot of sense since Mathis blocked for running back LeSean McCoy for the last four years.
Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter) hears the Cardinals aren’t interested in Mathis.
The Dolphins, Patriots, and Seahawks all make sense for the 33-year-old, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). However, he cautions that Mathis’ price point will start to scare teams off if it gets to be too high.
The Vikings might be a good fit for Mathis, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com writes. Two of the coaches who would work with Mathis the most — offensive line coach Jeff Davidson and head coach Mike Zimmer — are already familiar with him from previous stops. Meanwhile, the Vikings have $10MM+ in cap space for 2015.
The Saints, who have a vacancy at guard after trading starter Ben Grubbs, have only ~$3.5MM of salary cap space available to pursue Mathis, Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune notes. Tight end Tim Wright, however, could be more in the Saints’ price range.

South Notes: Stewart, Panthers, Texans

June 8th, 2015 at 9:30pm CST by Zachary Links

When the Panthers released their all-time leading rusher DeAngelo Williams, it paved the way for Jonathan Stewart to become the team’s undisputed featured running back for the first time in eight years, as Steve Reed of The Associated Press writes. His teammates believe that he’s up for the task.

“We saw last year that as he got more and more reps, the better he got,” tight end Greg Olsen said. “He’s so talented. You forget that he’s just unbelievable. When he gets rolling he’s as good as there is in the league. He’s so big and strong.”

Here’s more from the AFC and NFC South..

The Texans have reached out to former center Chris Myers about returning to the team, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Myers will consider multiple options before deciding, however.
Olsen says that playing with Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has been “great for his career,” as David Newton of ESPN.com writes. Last week, Newton signed a five-year extension that will make him a member of the Panthers through 2020.
Texans head coach Bill O’Brien announced that the team’s promotion of George Godsey to offensive coordinator is now official, Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com tweets. Godsey was previously slotted in as the team’s quarterbacks coach.
When asked about whether tackle David Quessenberry could play this year, O’Brien said, “This season is a possibility. I would not rule it out,” according to Ganguli (on Twitter). the former sixth-rounder has been battling with lymphoma and, fortunately, appears to have made a great recovery. The Texans lineman announced in February that he was in remission.
The Saints have added former Jets director of pro personnel Brendan Prophett to their scouting staff, a source tells Nick Underhill of The Advocate. Prophett has not yet been assigned an area that he will scout.

NFC Notes: Jordan, McDermott, Cowboys

June 7th, 2015 at 4:34pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Though Cameron Jordan‘s five-year, $55MM extension with the Saints compares favorably with Calais Campbell‘s long-term deal with the Cardinals, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap doesn’t believe that Jordan’s new contract will redefine the market for 3-4 defensive ends as did Campbell’s. While the two deals look especially similar at the back end, Fitzgerald writes that Campbell was handed more guaranteed money up front, and doesn’t have to worry about the type of per-game roster bonuses that are included in Jordan’s deal. Ultimately, 3-4 ends will still use Campbell’s deal as a starting point in negotiations, not Jordan’s, adds Fitzgerald.

Here’s more from the NFC:

If the Panthers defense continues to produce at its current level, DC Sean McDermott could warrant consideration as a head-coaching candidate in the near future, writes David Newton of ESPN.com. After finishing last in DVOA in 2011 — McDermott’s first year on the job — Carolina has placed in the top 15 in the three years since, including a No. 3 finish in 2013.
The Cowboys didn’t select a running back in April’s draft, but team executive Stephen Jones believes the club could find a back as the season progresses, naming the Patriots acquisition of LeGarrette Blount last year as an example, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Archer expects Dallas’ pro scouts to scour the trade and waiver market during the preseason in the hopes of adding another runner.
Tackle Morgan Moses — once thought of as a potential first-round pick — ultimately slid until the third round of last year’s draft before being picked by Washington. And though the club selected Brandon Scherff with the fifth overall pick, John Keim of ESPN.com still sees a role for Moses, adding that the Virginia product could become a solid swing tackle at the very least.

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