NFC Notes: Manning, Smith, Lions, Spadola
Giants quarterback Eli Manning has been making headlines recently, as he has allegedly demanded and then refuted reports that he demanded to be the highest-paid player in the NFL. Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com writes that all this could be the “storm before the calm” as was the case with Philip Rivers’ contract, noting that there is a reason all the top quarterbacks have received long-term extensions.
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- With a need at safety, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com was asked if the Giants might be interested in the recently released Taylor Mays (via Twitter). Raanan opines that the team would not be interested, noting that perception around Mays isn’t positive.
- Eagles’ 2014 first-round pick Marcus Smith will miss two to three weeks with a hamstring injury, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “It was not as bad as I thought it was,” said Smith. “Three weeks is probably the most. I’ll definitely be ready for the Falcons game. Try to be ready for the last preseason game.”
- The Lions have a pair of key starters dealing with high ankle sprains, in offensive guard Larry Warford and defensive tackle Caraun Reid, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. It is uncertain when they will be able to return to the field, and head coach Jim Caldwell would not put a timetable on their recovery.
- Cardinals receiver Ryan Spadola is considering a career as a ref after his football career comes to an end, writes Bob McManamoan of AZCentral.com. Spadola has been a practice squad player bouncing around the league for two seasons, and is competing for a spot on the Cardinals’ roster.
NFC East Notes: Brady, Giants, Hardy
Here’s a look at the NFC East..
- Giants co-owner John Mara has respectfully declined to participate in settlement discussions between Tom Brady and the NFL, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com. There are currently conflicting reports on whether Brady would be open to accepting a suspension of any kind. League lawyers, who sources say were reluctant about the idea, communicated Wednesday to the judge that Mara cited an obvious competitive conflict of interest.
- Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy still hasn’t made a final decision about suing the NFL to reduce his suspension, but every passing day reduces the chances of that happening, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets.
- Giants quarterback Ryan Nassib told Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post that he’ll have to assess his options if the Giants decide to give Eli Manning a new multi-year deal. “Yeah, that’s something we would look into once the season’s over,” Nassib said. “We’ll see when the decision’s made or whatnot. [Unless it happens], that’s something I can’t really speculate on.” The 2013 fourth-round pick is signed through 2016 at a cap-friendly total of $1.26MM over the next two seasons.
East Notes: Dolphins, Flynn, Giants, JPP
The Dolphins confirmed today that safety Louis Delmas has torn his ACL for the second time in nine months, and the injury leaves the team scrambling to find a new starter at free safety. While it’s possible that Miami will promote an in-house option to the starting lineup, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link) hears that the team will “definitely” look around the league for a possible upgrade, either via trade or a waiver claim later in the preseason.
Despite the fact that Eric Weddle ‘s agent David Canter promoted the idea of a trade that would send his client to the Dolphins, Canter himself acknowledged that such a deal won’t happen, and Miami is unlikely to make a major splash to add a safety. Still, as Salguero suggests, the team is in win-now mode, so if the Dolphins’ backups can’t get the job done, it’s imperative that the club finds someone who can.
Here’s more from out of the NFL’s two East divisions:
- According to head coach Todd Bowles, the Jets considered waiting to sign a quarterback in order to see what other QBs might become available within the next few weeks. However, the club decided to sign Matt Flynn to give him a head start on getting comfortable with the team’s system, and because there was no guarantee he’d still be available in a couple weeks, as Brian Costello of the New York Post details.
- The only scenario in which Eli Manning and the Giants don’t eventually work out a new contract is if the team decides to rebuild around a younger, cheaper quarterback, but barring a major injury or a disastrous season, the team is much more likely to stay the course with Manning, says Dan Graziano of ESPN.com.
- Nearly seven weeks after the fireworks accident that cost him a finger on his right hand, Jason Pierre-Paul has yet to inform the Giants when he’ll report to the club and when he might return to action, writes Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News.
Extra Points: Weddle, Chancellor, Brady
Adam Jones will probably go down as one of those “what-if” history stories in sports and the Bengals cornerback is well aware of that. “If I would have never gotten suspended, I would have $100 million right now,” Jones said, according to Coley Harvey of ESPN.com. Still, Jones says that he tries not to live with regrets and that he hopes to make the most of the remainder of his career. Here’s more from around the NFL..
- Eric Weddle‘s agent David Canter confirmed (via Twitter links) that he would like to see the Chargers safety land with the Dolphins. However, he made it clear that he and Weddle “have never and will never ask for a trade from San Diego.” Teams typically don’t trade their best players, Canter notes, and he says that Bolts fans can rest assured that he won’t be going anywhere, at least in 2015.
- Agent Alvin Keels told ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (on Twitter) that everything is status quo with his client, Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor. “Nothing has changed. He will not report without his contract being addressed this season. The team and I have been in contact, but we haven’t been able to agree on any compromise,” Keels said.
- Right now, there are no more settlement talks planned between the NFL and NFLPA until the August 31st court appearance, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
- Brandon Meriweather‘s deal with the Giants is a one-year pact worth $870K and no guaranteed cash, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.
- During practice Sunday, Raiders‘ WR Andre Holmes fractured his hand and now is expected to be out 3-4 weeks, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).
- New Jets quarterback Matt Flynn says that there’s no timetable on when he’ll recover from his hamstring issue and added that he is not guaranteed a roster spot with Gang Green, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets.
- Guard-center Josh Samuda, former Dolphin and Viking, worked out today for the Chiefs, according to a source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
Eli Manning Denies Wanting To Be Highest-Paid QB
Speaking to reporters today, including Dan Graziano of ESPN.com, Eli Manning denied that he or his agent has told the Giants he wants to become the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. Manning, who said he heard about the report from his father, Archie Manning, was “clearly annoyed” by the story, tweets Graziano.
“The reports are all wrong,” Manning said, per Graziano (Twitter link). “Never been said, never came out of my mouth, never said it to my agent.”
While it’s possible that agent Tom Condon expressed that sentiment to the Giants without directly hearing it from his client, Manning dismissed that notion as well, telling reporters, “I know that was never said by him, claiming that was the goal” (Twitter link).
It makes sense that Manning would be frustrated by such a story, since the leaking of such lofty alleged contract demands generally only serves to turn a fanbase against the player. It also seems unlikely that Manning, who typically avoids discussing his contract publicly and opts to leave that side of the business to his agent, would draw such a line in the sand during negotiations.
On the other hand, even if Manning didn’t explicitly ask the Giants to make him the league’s highest-paid quarterback, he would have a reasonable case to do so, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explained yesterday. New York appears ready to use its franchise tag on Manning if the two sides don’t agree on a long-term deal, and the value of that tag would be at least $23.7MM — it would likely be higher, since the Giants would probably use the exclusive designation, rather than the non-exclusive one.
Based on those figures, Manning would have the leverage to seek an extension that surpasses Aaron Rodgers‘ $22MM annual salary, even if a deal in the neighborhood of Ben Roethlisberger‘s new contract ($21.85MM per year) may be more probable. According to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, recent extensions signed by Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers, Manning’s fellow 2004 draftees, are the points of reference in talks with the Giants, with the two-time Super Bowl MVP aiming to match or exceed their deals.
Extra Points: McCoy, Rice, Bucs, Broncos
Could this finally be Rueben Randle‘s breakout year? The wide receiver has long been expected to emerge as a star in New York and the Giants have a feeling that 2015 could be his time to shine, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) says. Randle is entering his contract year and a strong performance could lead him to a sizable payday in the offseason, whether it’s with the Giants or another squad. GM Jerry Reese also believes that the presence of Odell Beckham Jr. and the returning Victor Cruz will open things up for the 24-year-old. Here’s more from around the NFL..
- Bills running back LeSean McCoy suffered a hamstring injury earlier today and the team ordered an MRI to determine the severity of it. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) now wonders if Ray Rice‘s best shot for a deal could be in Buffalo. Head coach Rex Ryan and Rice have a shared history thanks to their time together in Baltimore.
- Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith says the starting right tackle job is up for grabs, though he added that he wouldn’t have signed Gosder Cherilus if they didn’t expect him to help right away, Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com tweets. Tampa Bay signed the veteran to a lucrative two-year deal on Monday.
- Cherilus says he believes the Bucs would have drafted him if he lasted until pick No. 20 in 2008, Smith tweets. The offensive lineman wound up going 17th to the Lions instead.
- Last week, the Broncos claimed Spencer Lanning off waivers when the Buccaneers waived him and Troy Renck of The Denver Post (on Twitter) notes that the Broncos put in a claim back when the Browns cut him loose. This means that Lanning has been on the radar for Denver for quite a while and this could be an indication that he has momentum going into the team’s kicking competition.
Community Tailgate: 8/18/15
We’re still a couple weeks away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. This summer, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.
Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.
Today, we’ll be discussing Eli Manning‘s contract situation. The Giants QB is entering his walk year and his agent is currently discussing an extension with Big Blue. One might think that recent deals for quarterbacks, including Philip Rivers, would provide the two sides with a blueprint to get a deal done, but agent Tom Condon is aiming way, way higher. Manning’s rep, we learned yesterday, wants to make Manning the highest paid quarterback in the NFL.
Currently, Aaron Rodgers is the highest paid QB in the league with a $110MM deal that takes him through 2019. That pact includes a $33,25MM signing bonus with $54MM guaranteed and the average annual value of Rodgers’ deal comes out to a healthy $22MM. It wouldn’t be ludicrous of Condon to ask for a similar AAV given the deals inked by Ryan Tannehill, Cam Newton, and Ben Roethlisberger this offseason, but it’s hard to imagine giving Manning a Rodgers-type deal on the whole.
Most of us can agree that, on merit, Manning should not be the highest paid quarterback in the NFL. What we want to know is – what kind of deal do you think the Giants should give Manning? Or, do you think that the Giants should roll the dice and allow Manning to play out the 2015 season? Give us your thoughts in the comment section below.
More Minor NFL Transactions: 8/18/15
Earlier today, we rounded minor signings, cuts, and other transactions from around the league. Here’s the latest batch..
- The Giants announced that they have claimed defensive tackle Jimmy Staten off waivers from the Seahawks and waived rookie defensive tackle Carlif Taylor, Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News tweets.
- The Jets announced that they have acquired tight end Arthur Lynch off waivers from the Dolphins. Lynch was the fifth-round pick (No. 155 overall) of Miami in the 2014 draft out of Georgia. He had 56 career receptions for 907 yards and eight touchdowns for the Bulldogs and was an All-Southeastern Conference first-team selection as a redshirt senior.
- The Raiders announced that they have signed free agent receiver Devon Wylie. Wylie, originally drafted by the Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft, appeared in six games during his rookie campaign, recording six receptions for 53 yards.
- Offensive tackle Chris Martin, who was waived by the Dolphins recently, was awarded to Patriots, Wilson tweets. Martin, who is 6’5″ and 305 pounds, has had two prior stints with the Patriots.
- The Patriots cut tight end Logan Stokes, Wilson tweets.
- The Saints will sign defensive tackle David Hunter, according to Brett Martel of The Associated Press (on Twitter). Hunter joins New Orleans after DT Austin Brown went down with an injury.
- The Lions released David Ausberry with an injury settlement, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter).
- The Lions waived/injured center Darren Keyton, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com tweets.
East Notes: Brady, Cooley, RGIII, Eli, Manuel
Multiple reporters in attendance at Patriots‘ practice today have indicated that Tom Brady is absent, and Tom Pelissero of USA Today offers a likely explanation, tweeting that Brady plans to attend tomorrow’s federal court hearing in New York. The session in Judge Richard M. Berman’s courtroom is optional for Brady and commissioner Roger Goodell, but the fact that the Patriots quarterback will attend in person could score him some points with Judge Berman.
As we wait to see what – if anything – comes of tomorrow’s hearing on the Brady case, let’s check in on several more items from around the NFL’s two East divisions….
- Former Washington tight end Chris Cooley admits he is “literally begging” to join his old team, explaining that he has offered to play on “the most minimum deal possible” if Washington signs him, per J.J. Regan of CSNWashington.com. Cooley’s proposal to Washington includes no bonuses or incentives, no guaranteed money, and a promise that he’d give $50K of his salary to charity.
- Robert Griffin III is currently under contract through the 2016 season, but he’d like to remain in Washington beyond that, telling CSNWashington’s Chick Hernandez that he hopes to stay with the club for his “whole career.”
- Despite John Mara‘s comments about wanting to get Eli Manning locked up to an extension before the season begins, there’s no rush or deadline for the Giants, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com, who writes that a new deal will happen sooner or later. We heard yesterday that Manning wants to become the league’s highest-paid player, and while that was met with disbelief by some, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explains why it’s not as outrageous as you might think.
- As he competes for the starting job in Buffalo, quarterback E.J. Manuel acknowledges that his days with the Bills may be numbered if he doesn’t earn that No. 1 role, writes John Wawrow of The Associated Press. Wawrow suggests that Manuel is behind both Tyrod Taylor and Matt Cassel in the race for the Bills’ starting job, but the former first-round pick remains confident in his NFL future. “At the end of the day, if I play well, it should take care of itself,” Manuel said. “Whether it’s here or whether it’s somewhere else, I don’t know.”
Eli Manning Wants To Be NFL’s Highest-Paid QB
One would think that the recent deal struck between the Chargers and quarterback Philip Rivers would pave the way for a pact between the Giants and Eli Manning, but that might not be the case. Manning’s agent is seeking a deal that would pay him higher than Rivers or Aaron Rodgers or any other quarterback in the game, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Currently, Rodgers is the highest paid QB in the NFL with a substantial deal that takes him through 2019. The Packers signal-caller is slated to $110MM over the next five years thanks to an extension that includes a $33,25MM signing bonus, $54MM guaranteed. The average annual value of Rodgers’ deal comes out to a healthy $22MM, and one has to imagine that while Manning could approach that AAV, he won’t be able to secure the same kind of contract overall.
A deal would make sense for both sides, giving the veteran quarterback some security beyond this season, and allowing the team to create a little cap flexibility. However, he’ll likely have to come down on his demands in order to get something done. Manning, 34, started off slowly in 2014 under new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, but eventually hit his stride, throwing for 4,410 yards and 30 touchdowns on the year. Those totals fell just short of his career highs, ranking as his second-best marks in 11 NFL seasons. With a year under his belt working with McAdoo and Odell Beckham Jr., and Victor Cruz on his way back from a season-ending knee injury, Manning looks poised for another strong season in 2015.
Manning is currently in line to earn a $17MM base salary in 2015, counting for $19.75MM against the cap. After averaging $16.25MM on his last contract, the two-time Super Bowl MVP figures to be in line for at least a modest raise this time around.
In addition to Rivers, Ryan Tannehill, Cam Newton, and Ben Roethlisberger are among the signal-callers who have signed new deals in 2015 averaging between $19-22MM per year. Roethlisberger’s pact, which averages $21.85MM annually, seemed to be a logical point of reference in the talks between Manning and the Giants – after all, both QBs entered the league as first-round picks in 2004, have earned three Pro Bowl nods, and have won a pair of Super Bowls. Not in the eyes of Tom Condon, however, who is aiming much higher.