NFC Notes: Graham, Forte, Giants, Peterson
The grievance hearing on Jimmy Graham‘s franchise tag positional designation is scheduled for next week, and a source tells Mike Triplett of ESPN.com that the NFL Management Council is preparing a “strong counterargument” against the NFLPA’s claim that Graham should be considered a receiver.
“The union’s position is a naked cash grab,” the source said. “It ignores Mr. Graham’s use as a traditional tight end on roughly 60% of the snaps where he lined up within four yards of the tackle. It also ignores the historical use of the tight end position.”
It’s fair to assume that Triplett’s source isn’t exactly an impartial observer, considering his comments sound like ones the NFL will make during the hearing. Taking into account that the Saints star lined up in the slot or split out wide for roughly two-thirds of his snaps in 2013, the decision certainly isn’t cut-and-dried, and the outcome could have significant ramifications not just on Graham’s next deal, but on the tight end position going forward.
Here’s more from out of the NFC:
- “I think I can play 12 years,” Bears running back Matt Forte tells John Mullin of CSNChicago.com. Forte, who has two years left on his current contract, would have to play through the 2019 season to achieve that goal.
- The Giants have multiple free agents lined up for workouts this week, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, who writes in two separate pieces that the club will audition 6’5″ wide receiver Denzell Jones and former South Carolina cornerback Victor Hampton on Wednesday.
- Patrick Peterson and the Cardinals have yet to reach an agreement on a new long-term contract, but that didn’t stop the cornerback from reporting to the club’s mandatory minicamp today, says Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. Agent Joel Segal and the Cards continue to discuss an extension for Peterson.
- Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com believes Justin Durant will be the Cowboys‘ starting middle linebacker when the regular season gets underway, but suggests that if Durant doesn’t play well in camp, the 28-year-old is a candidate to be cut or traded.
- Wide receiver Kain Colter received the biggest bonus ($8K) among the Vikings‘ undrafted free agent signings, writes Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.
Seven Teams Holding Mandatory Minicamps This Week
According to Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk, the Cardinals, Bengals, Browns, Broncos, Lions, Saints, and Buccaneers will hold their mandatory minicamps this week.
These mandatory minicamps are heavily regulated by the NFL’s CBA. Per the CBA, players undergo physical exams on Monday. The teams may then hold a mandatory veteran minicamp with three days of practice on Tuesday through Thursday. Although pads and contact drills are prohibited for these mini camps, players can wear helmets. Players may be on the field for a total of no more than 3.5 hours per day. No organized team activities, which include medical treatment and taping, may begin prior to 7:00am local time or end after 8:30pm local times, with one hour provided for both lunch and dinner.
Mandatory minicamps are not to be confused with voluntary minicamps, which are allowed to occur prior to the draft only in the event that a team has hired a new head coach that offseason.
NFC South Notes: Panthers WRs, Saints TEs
Chalk this up as one of the more amazing tidbits with respect to NFL team’s rosters, as written by The Charlotte Observer’s Joseph Person: none of the 11 wide receivers on the Panthers roster this spring caught a pass for the team last season.
The Panthers went wide receiver in the first round of the draft, selecting 6-foot-5, 240-pound Kelvin Benjamin from Florida State No. 28 overall. He’ll be looking to replace departed receiver Steve Smith, as will fellow young wideouts Tavarres King and Marvin McNutt, who have been rotating through the first-, second- and third-team offenses in organized team activities.
“One thing we’re trying to make sure is everybody’s getting a lot of reps right now,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. “Because when we get to training camp, we want to make sure everybody’s up to speed. We’ve made an emphasis that we’re rotating a lot of players, as much as possible. Wide receiver’s one of those positions.”
As Person notes in his column, both King and McNutt have impressive collegiate résumés, starring at Georgia and Iowa, respectively. They’ll be competing for the starting receiver spots with Benjamin and three free-agent acquisitions: Jerricho Cotchery, Tiquan Underwood and Jason Avant.
Check out more from the NFC South in the links below…
- De’Andre Presley was the answer from Rivera when asked if a player has distinguished himself after Wednesday’s OTA, writes The Observer’s Tom Sorensen. Presley, a quarterback in college at Appalachian State, switched to cornerback upon signing with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent, and is now trying to make the Panthers roster at wide receiver.
- The Panthers went defensive tackle back-to-back in the 2013 NFL Draft with the selections of Star Lotulelei and Kawann Short in the first and second rounds, respectively, but Short is still in a fight for a starting position, writes Jonathan Jones of The Observer.
- Six tight ends combine for 20 years of experience on the Panthers roster, and Rivera loves the versatility they bring, ESPN.com’s David Newton reports.
- While there is no replacing the immense talent of Jimmy Graham, Saints tight ends Ben Watson and Josh Hill are doing what is asked of them at OTAs, including everything Graham would be doing, per The Times-Picayune’s Christopher Dabe.
- First-round pick receiver Brandin Cooks will be back for the final week of Saints OTAs, believes ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett.
- Despite suffering two concussions in his rookie season, Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro said he won’t slow down nor change his reckless ways, Triplett writes.
- With a defensive-heavy draft, notes ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure, the Falcons surely made defensive coordinator Mike Nolan a happy man. Nolan touched on each of the seven defensive players drafted, including a glowing review of Dez Southward, the former Wisconsin safety whom Atlanta selected in the third round: “He’s got really good size and is fast. He’s an intelligent guy. He doesn’t have as much football in his background as other guys because he played late in high school. But he’ll listen, as opposed to somebody that didn’t learn much and then they think that they have all the answers.”
NFC Notes: Goodwin, Saints, 49ers, Giants
The Saints may have landed their new starting center in free agency this week, and it’s a familiar face — Jonathan Goodwin, who is back for his second stint with the club, recognizes that it’s rare to return to a team later down the line, but had always hoped to retire as a Saint, tweets Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. According to Katherine Terrell of the Times-Picayune (Twitter link), head coach Sean Payton confirmed that the Saints waited until June to sign Goodwin in order to avoid him being linked to future draft pick compensation.
Here’s a little more on Goodwin, as well as several other updates from around the NFC:
- Goodwin’s one-year deal with the Saints is a minimum salary benefit contract, but it includes $125K in guaranteed money, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Goodwin received a $65K signing bonus in addition to $60K in guaranteed money on his base salary.
- Before he signed a contract extension to remain in New Orleans, Pierre Thomas thought his days with the Saints were coming to an end, as he admits to Christopher Dabe of the Times-Picayune.
- Investing heavily in Colin Kaepernick would’ve reduced the 49ers‘ leverage in contract negotiations with coach Jim Harbaugh, since the head coach played such a significant role in picking and developing Kaepernick, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. However, since San Francisco has some flexibility to get out of Kaepernick’s deal if need be, that should give the club some flexibility in regard to Harbaugh too.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap takes a closer look at Kaepernick’s extension and wonders if Robert Griffin III could eventually ink a similar contract, since the two signal-callers play a somewhat similar style of quarterback.
- The latest Read Option column from Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report includes several interesting tidbits, including items on Greg Robinson‘s current and future position with the Rams and the Packers‘ reasoning for selecting Davante Adams in the second round over other available wideouts.
- Addressing the team’s decision to cut safety Will Hill following his latest suspension, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin told reporters, including Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (Twitter link), “When you run a business you have to be able to rely on people to be there when you need them.”
Saints Sign Brandon Deaderick
After working out for the team yesterday, as reported by Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, veteran defensive tackle Brandon Deaderick has signed a one-year contract with the Saints, the club announced today in a press release. The team release also confirmed the signing of veteran center Jonathan Goodwin, as well as the cuts of offensive lineman Mike Golic Jr. and linebacker Spencer Hadley. Those three roster moves were reported yesterday.
Deaderick, a former seventh-round pick who spent three seasons with the Pats before joining the Jaguars last season, also auditioned for the Chiefs last week. In his four years in the NFL, Deaderick has appeared in 47 total contests, including 15 starts, recording 56 overall tackles and 5.5 sacks. He has also forced three fumbles and recovered one. If he makes the Saints’ regular-season roster, Deaderick figures to give the team so depth on the defensive line.
While New Orleans’ signing of Deaderick removes one name from the list of defensive tackles remaining on the market, there are plenty of notable players still available for teams targeting veterans, including Kevin Williams, Johnny Jolly, and Ryan Pickett.
Saints Sign Jonathan Goodwin
TUESDAY, 12:15pm: The Saints have officially signed Goodwin, the club announced today in a press release
MONDAY, 2:23pm: It’s expected to be a one-year deal for Goodwin, according to Triplett (via Twitter). Salary details aren’t yet known, but I’d be surprised if it’s worth a whole lot more than the minimum.
1:24pm: The Saints and Goodwin have agreed to terms on a deal, reports Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Triplett, the center will likely put pen to paper on Tuesday.
12:49pm: After spending three years in San Francisco, veteran center Jonathan Goodwin appears to be headed back to the team with whom he earned a Pro Bowl berth in 2009. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Goodwin is expected to sign with the Saints at some point this week. Katherine Terrell of the Times-Picayune adds that nothing’s set in stone yet, but that the two sides are discussing a deal today.
Goodwin will turn 36 in December, which prompted the Niners to hand the starting center reins to the younger Daniel Kilgore going forward, but the 12-year veteran has remained effective into his mid-30s. Goodwin hasn’t missed a game over the last five seasons, and produced at an above-average level in 2013, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), buoyed by solid grades as a run blocker.
The Saints saw last year’s starting center, Brian De La Puente, depart in free agency, and didn’t address the position during the draft, so it wasn’t clear which player would get the nod heading into the regular season. Assuming Goodwin is healthy and productive in training camp, he would seem to be the odds-on favorite for the starting role. He figures to compete with Tim Lelito, who has been taking snaps with the first team during New Orleans’ OTAs.
Minor Moves: Vikings, Bears, Saints, Bills
A couple of more notable free agents have come off the board today, including cornerback Aaron Berry and center Jonathan Goodwin. However, there are also a handful of under-the-radar moves to round up. Here are Monday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
- After being cut by the Browns on Friday, defensive back Julian Posey has been claimed off waivers by the Vikings, the club announced today (Twitter link). Another defensive back, Kip Edwards, was waived to make room on Minnesota’s roster for Posey.
- The Bears have signed undrafted free agent cornerback Al Louis-Jean, the team confirmed today (via Twitter). Louis-Jean, who played his college ball at Boston College before leaving early, auditioned for Chicago at last month’s rookie minicamp.
- Guard Mike Golic Jr. and linebacker Spencer Hadley, who both signed with the Saints last month, have been cut, according to Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune (via Twitter).
- Former Syracuse center Macky MacPherson has signed with the Bills, bringing the team’s roster to the maximum 90 players, tweets ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak.
NFC Links: Davis, Bryant, Graham
The 49ers have a lot of players looking for new contracts in the coming years, including Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree, Colin Kaepernick, Mike Iupati, and Alex Boone. The team has been preparing for life without some of those players, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
Here are some other links from around the NFC:
- When it comes to Davis, Maiocco believes the 49ers will not budge on his contract. He is the third-highest paid player in the league at his position, and is on the wrong side of 30 years old. With extensions for other players coming, Davis may have to play his current contract out.
- Cowboys‘ Vice President Stephen Jones said an extension for star wide receiver Dez Bryant could come before the season starts, writes Lorenzo Reyes of USAToday.com. “As far as from the receiver standpoint, of course I feel like I’m one of the better receivers in this league,” said Bryant. “But like I said, when it comes to that contract, I’m going to sit back and I’m going to wait and see what happens.”
- Jimmy Graham has yet to sign a long-term deal, but Mike Triplett of ESPN.com does not expect this to drag on through training camp. July 15 is the last day to negotiate a deal for franchised players, and Triplett expects Graham to sign a deal that pays him between $10.5MM and $11MM per year.
- Robert Meachem returned to the Saints, and maybe more importantly, his old quarterback Drew Brees, writes Christopher Dabe of NOLA.com. Meachem has a one-year deal, but says the offseason has kept him focused and more comfortable, being back in New Orleans.
- Tanard Jackson has gotten another chance in the NFL with the Redskins, but he might not stick on the roster, writes J.P. Finlay of CSNWashington.com. The team might not have a spot for him at safety, and his minimum salary deal could be easy to release.
Extra Points: Byrd, Murray, Smith, Jets
Miscellaneous news and notes from around the league. . .
- Saints safety Jairus Byrd underwent “optional” back surgery to repair a disc issue, according to Katherine Terrell of Nola.com. While head coach Sean Payton downplayed the seriousness of the procedure, Terrell’s colleague Larry Holder is skeptical, especially since Byrd just inked a six-year, $54MM ($26.3MM guaranteed) deal.
- The Cowboys have acknowledged a contract extension for star receiver Dez Bryant is “a possibility,” but he’s not the only skill player on the roster in need of a new deal, as running back DeMarco Murray is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie pact. The Cowboys are a different team with Murray healthy, asserts ESPN’s Todd Archer, who considers what the team should reasonably be willing to pay to retain Murray’s services beyond 2014.
- Eagles first-round pick Marcus Smith is working exclusively at Connor Barwin‘s “Jack” (left outside) linebacker position, which enables him to learn multiple responsibilities while honing his technique, writes csnphilly.com’s Matt Allibone.
- Michael Wilhoite leads a group of 49ers linebackers vying to keep NaVorro Bowman‘s seat warm, writes Eric Branch on sfgate.com.
- Who says fullbacks are a dying species? More love from Pro Football Focus, who tabs Collin Mooney as the Titans’ “Secret Superstar.”
- With the departure of Antonio Smith, third-year defensive lineman Jared Crick has a chance to take on a more prominent role for the Texans, writes Dale Robertson in the Houston Chronicle.
- The Jets have $23MM in cap space, notes ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini, who also states the team views Kyle Wilson as a slot corner, “nothing more.” Meanwhile, Cimini hears from scouts that Dimitri Patterson, projected to start outside opposite Dee Milliner, is actually better suited in the slot.
- After losing Morocco Brown to the Browns, the Redskins have promoted Alex Santos to director of pro personnel, according to Zac Boyer of the Washington Times (via Twitter). Santos has spent the last six years as a pro scout.
NFC Notes: Saints, Washington, 49ers
The Saints have a few positions battles that might not be decided until late in training camp, according to Rachel Whittaker of NOLA.com. She mentions options at starting center, as well as the overhaul of the receiving corps.
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
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Another position on the Saints that is left in limbo is the defensive backfield, writes Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com. The team knows who the starting safeties should be, but they have a deep group of cornerbacks behind Keenan Lewis fighting for the second corner job. The team gets Patrick Robinson back from injury, in addition to Corey White, free agent veterain Champ Bailey, and second-round pick Stanley-Jean Baptiste, among others. There are 11 cornerbacks on the 90-man roster, when only five made the final roster last season.
- Recently suspended Cardinals‘ linebacker Daryl Washington stand to lose a lot of money due to his most recent transgressions, writes Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com. Washington will forfeit his 2014 base salary of $2.9MM and his prorated signing bonus of nearly $500,000, but will still have almost $13MM of potential earnings upon his return, as his current contract runs through 2017.
- 49ers‘ linebacker Michael Wilhoite and third-round pick Chris Borland will fight for a starting job at inside linebacker to begin 2014, writes Eric Branch of SFGate.com. The position is open due to NaVorro Bowman‘s injury at the end of the NFC Championship Game, and one of those two players could be lining up next to Patrick Willis at times in the upcoming season.
- Jeremy Maclin is back with the Eagles, and head coach Chip Kelly is excited to have another weapon in his offensive arsenal, writes Andy Jasner of ESPN.com. “Mac’s doing a really good job, just getting back familiar with it. I was really excited about how he would fit into what we do because of what he can do. And then to lose him that early in camp was disappointing. You got a taste of him,” said Kelly. “But having him out there full speed running out there right now, he’s doing a really good job.”
- The Falcons have a long list of expiring contracts on their roster, and as they move to more 3-4 opportunities on defense, they could be in store for a major overhaul in talent, writes David Choats of TheFalcoholic.com. They put together a list of these players who will be free agents in 2015.