Extra Points: Chiefs, Collins, Winston
Here are some items to round out the work week across the NFL.
- With the Justin Houston standoff still in motion, the Chiefs have other looming financial decisions, which Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star examines as the team enters the pre-minicamp evaluation period. Paylor points out how Jeremy Maclin‘s backloaded contract, which will features a $3.4MM cap number this year before escalating to $12.4MM in 2016, makes this season’s wide receiver payments particularly minuscule, as no other Kansas City outside target is set to make more than $700K. Both Jeff Allen and Donald Stephenson are playing for future deals this season, but as Scott Pioli-selected players coming off injuries, they may be playing for future jobs elsewhere. The John Dorsey–Andy Reid power structure has yet to re-up a previous regime’s offensive lineman, as Paylor notes.
- Jameis Winston wants to drop down to the playing weight of his redshirt freshman, Heisman Trophy-winning year of 2013 (230 pounds) after ballooning to nearly 250 in the offseason, reports Kevin Patra of NFL.com. The Buccaneers‘ presumptive starter’s at around 238 presently. The No. 1 overall pick also doesn’t believe he’s on a redemption tour of sorts after the legal and other negative off-field issues that mounted during his three years at Florida State, notes Tom Withers of the Associated Press. “I have nothing to prove,” Winston said. “I believe that people make mistakes but I also believe that you bounce back from those and I’m just moving forward.”
- With the Giants lacking much depth at safety, Landon Collins will certainly receive enough reps in an attempt to make good on his aspirations at becoming the defensive rookie of the year. But so far in the less-consequential, padless practice portion, the Alabama product is pretty raw in terms of playmaking instincts, writes Nick Powell of NJ.com.
- Tom Compton is still a good bet to make Washington‘s 53-man roster despite the team using the No. 5 pick on Brandon Scherff and relocating the ex-Iowa left tackle to the right side, writes Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com. A 2012 sixth-round pick, Compton (six sacks ceded) rated as Washington’s worst offensive lineman in 2014, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Extra Points: Titans, Beckham, Raiders, Bucs
Following the Titans announcement today of their 20-year agreement with Nissan, CEO/president Steve Underwood reiterated that the team is not for sale.
“The team is not for sale,” Underwood told John Glennon of the Tennessean. “We have not had any discussions with anyone about selling the team. Our owners are committed to continuing to maintain the team just as it is in their family, and we couldn’t be happier about that.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFL…
- Following reports that Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr. was peeved at his teammates’ teasing, the second-year player told Paul Schwartz of the New York Post that he gets along fine with the other players. “I have no problem with anybody on the team or inside or anything,” he said.
- ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson took a look at the Raiders cap situation. The NFL requires teams to spend at least 89 percent of their cap between 2013 and 2016. The Raiders entered the offseason having spent just over 80 percent, and Williamson surmises that the team will need to spend nearly “all of their cap room” in the next two years.
- Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht recognizes that it takes time to build a contender. However, as he told Steven Ruiz of USA Today, he believes his roster has improved drastically in his year-plus on the job. “This wasn’t a rebuild, this was a little bit of a retool,” he said. “When you have players like Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David and Mark Barron and Vincent Jackson and the list goes on and on, you can’t call it a rebuild. We just had a little retooling to do.”
East Notes: Bradford, JPP, Gachkar, Jets
After years of being proactive with their quarterbacks in the post-Donovan McNabb era, the Eagles are still at a crossroads with their projected starter.
Philadelphia extended Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick in the late Andy Reid years before re-signing Mark Sanchez this offseason. But Sam Bradford still sits in a walk year despite changing teams, and Andrew Brandt of TheMMQB.com analyzes the risks both sides take by standing pat and the benefits possible for each party.
Brandt estimates Bradford, with the huge caveat of whether the 27-year-old signal-caller makes it through the season unscathed, could be somewhat of a prize next offseason for a quarterback-needy franchise considering a market that as of now houses Russell Wilson, Philip Rivers and Eli Manning could be left with only Bradford with the cost of inking QBs on a perpetual rise. But despite Bradford having already earned a preposterous $65.1MM as the last No. 1 overall pick of the old CBA, the sixth-year veteran could be worth next to nothing with another season-ending malady, increasing the urgency to negotiate a deal with the Eagles before the season begins.
Although traded for 2013-14 starter Nick Foles, who has won almost as many games (14) in three seasons than Bradford has in five (18), Brandt notes there remains a remote trade possibility, and Andrew Kulp of CSNPhilly.com writes a Week 1 starting lineup featuring Sanchez is not beyond the realm of possibility. On the books for $12.99MM cap number, Bradford’s still in a solid position, with what could be a scant quarterback derby next March and the possibility of the position’s franchise tag skyrocketing to around $20MM next season, per Kulp.
Let’s look at some additional Eastern items this afternoon.
- Jason Pierre-Paul intends to play this season at around 265 pounds, notes the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz. Weight’s served as a bit of an issue for Pierre-Paul since his dominant 2011 showing. The 2010 first-round pick hasn’t signed his franchise tender worth $14.8MM yet and hasn’t showed at the Giants‘ facilities for OTAs or minicamp, instead opting to train in his native Florida. Schwartz adds only a “remote” chance exists JPP and the Giants agree on a long-term deal by July 15.
- Special teams coach Rich Bisaccia and linebackers boss Matt Eberflus influenced Andrew Gachkar to sign with the Cowboys, along with Texas’ absence of a state tax, reports Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. Gachkar said his primary position will likely be strongside linebacker while playing under his former instructors at Missouri and with the Chargers, respectively.
- At the moment, the Jets‘ starting tight end is sixth-year veteran Jeff Cumberland, as Jace Amaro is listed as the H-back under Todd Bowles. But the Jets won’t wait around for the inconsistent Cumberland, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post. Although the 28-year-old hasn’t exactly had proficient quarterbacks throwing to him, Cumberland rated as the worst tight end last season among players who garnered at least 25% of their team’s snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
- The Dolphins are likely to deploy Jeff Linkenbach as their starting right guard, offers James Walker of ESPN.com. Walker predicts the former Kansas City Chiefs and Indianapolis Colts cog will beat out Billy Turner for the position. Possibly the most reported Evan Mathis suitor, Miami would be giving snaps to a sub-par guard in Linkenbach in this scenario. The sixth-year veteran’s last full season as a starter — 2011 in Indianapolis — produced some ghastly results, according to PFF (subscription required). Linkenbach hasn’t started more than eight games since.
Largest 2015 Cap Hits By Team: NFC East
Earlier this month, I took a closer look at the top 2015 NFL cap hits by position, checking in on offensive players, defensive players, and special-teamers. Those lists revealed some interesting details about how teams around the NFL are delegating their spending for the 2015 season, with some clubs focusing heavily on certain sides of the ball or specific positions, while others spread out their cap room enough that they barely showed up on any of the top-10 positional lists.
Starting this week, we’ll shift our focus to those individual teams, examining each club’s top 10 cap commitments for the 2015 season. We’ll break it down by division, allowing us to make a few observations about each team’s largest cap numbers for the coming year.
First up? The NFC East. Let’s dive in….
Dallas Cowboys:
- Tony Romo, QB: $14,973,000
- Dez Bryant, WR: $12,823,000
- Brandon Carr, CB: $12,717,000
- Jason Witten, TE: $8,512,000
- Sean Lee, LB: $5,450,000
- Morris Claiborne, CB: $5,175,069
- Miles Austin, WR: $5,106,200 (dead money)
- Tyron Smith, LT: $5,039,000
- Orlando Scandrick, CB: $4,382,271
- Doug Free, RT: $3,980,000 (dead money)
Total: $78,157,540
Of the four teams in the NFC East, only the Cowboys have multiple dead money charges within their top 10 cap hits for the coming year. Unlike Austin, Free is still on the roster, but his previous deal voided after the 2014 season, leaving some dead money on Dallas’ books while the club signed him to a new contract. If we take into account Free’s new contract, which has a $3MM cap number this year, he’s counting for nearly $7MM against the Cowboys’ cap.
Elsewhere on the list, the Cowboys devote significant cap room to the positions you’d expect — quarterback, wide receiver, left tackle, and cornerback. There are no Russell Wilson-esque bargains in the East, where three of the four teams have their quarterbacks at No. 1 on their list of 2015 cap commitments. As such, it makes sense that cornerbacks would be high on each club’s list as well. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, their two highest-paid CBs have either had trouble staying on the field or haven’t been as effective as anticipated, given their price tags.
Bryant’s and Carr’s cap charges could change before the regular season begins, if the former reaches a long-term agreement with the club or the latter agrees to rework his contract.
New York Giants:
- Eli Manning, QB: $19,750,000
- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE: $14,813,000
- Victor Cruz, WR: $8,125,000
- Will Beatty, LT: $8,050,000
- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB: $7,250,000
- Prince Amukamara, CB: $6,898,000
- Jon Beason, LB: $4,154,166
- Jameel McClain, LB: $3,400,000
- David Baas, C: $3,225,000 (dead money)
- Steve Weatherford, P: $3,075,000
Total: $78,740,166
The total cost for the Giants’ top 10 cap hits is nearly $79MM, higher than any other team in the NFC East. That figure is largely impacted by Manning’s cap charge, which is approaching $20MM as he enters the final year of his contract. The club could ultimately reduce that figure if Manning signs an extension this year, but it’s not a necessity.
What’s interesting about the Giants’ list is how many question marks there are here — of course, the team won’t get anything out of Baas, whose cap hit is made up of dead money, but there may be concerns about other players here too. A torn pectoral figures to keep Beatty sidelined until November, and Beason, Amukamara, and Cruz are among the players who are coming off serious, season-ending injuries, though they’re expected to be ready to contribute this fall. The Giants’ success this year may hinge significantly on whether those high-priced players are fully recovered.
Also worth noting: New York is the only team in the NFC East with a special teams player in its top 10 cap hits for 2015, as Weatherford sneaks onto the list.
Philadelphia Eagles:
- Sam Bradford, QB: $12,985,000
- Jason Peters, LT: $9,050,000
- Byron Maxwell, CB: $8,700,000
- Connor Barwin, OLB: $7,000,000
- Brandon Graham, OLB: $6,000,000
- Malcolm Jenkins, S: $5,666,666
- Lane Johnson, RT: $5,225,974
- DeMarco Murray, RB: $5,000,000
- Brent Celek, TE: $4,800,000
- Riley Cooper, WR: $4,800,000
Total: $69,227,640
One silver lining of the exodus of highly-paid veterans like DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy, Evan Mathis, and Jeremy Maclin? The total cost of the Eagles’ top 10 cap hits for 2015 is the lowest in their division, at just over $69MM, allowing the club to spread out moderate salaries to more players further down on the roster. While the Cowboys and Giants have multiple players with cap numbers exceeding $12MM, the Eagles’ second-largest hit barely surpasses $9MM.
The work the Eagles did this past offseason is reflected heavily on this list, as major free agent signings like Maxwell and Murray show up here. Even Graham, who has spent his career with the Eagles, can be considered a free agent addition since he talked to other teams before returning to Philadelphia.
Meanwhile, I was a little surprised to see Celek and Cooper, a pair of steady but unspectacular veteran pass catchers, crack the top 10 here. Younger, cheaper players like Jordan Matthews and Nelson Agholor may end up producing better numbers, but if Bradford is going to succeed in Philadelphia, he’ll likely need the veterans to chip in as well.
Washington:
- Trent Williams, LT: $14,230,393
- Pierre Garcon, WR: $9,700,000
- Desean Jackson, WR: $9,250,000
- Ryan Kerrigan, OLB: $7,038,000
- Robert Griffin III, QB: $6,719,713
- Jason Hatcher, DT: $5,203,125
- DeAngelo Hall, CB: $4,812,500
- Kory Lichtensteiger, C: $4,300,000
- Chris Culliver, CB: $4,250,000
- Stephen Paea, DT: $4,250,000
Total: $69,753,731
Like Philadelphia, Washington has some new additions show up on its list, and the money spent on Culliver and Paea reflects the team’s dedication to investing in and improving its defense. Still, the club’s top three cap numbers belong to offensive players, including a pair of wide receivers.
The fact that Washington is the only franchise in the NFC East without an expensive quarterback allows for a little more spending flexibility elsewhere, but the team’s QB situation is also arguably the shakiest in the division. One might wonder if it’s worth dedicating so much cap room to playmaking receivers like Garcon and Jackson, when it’s not clear which of Washington’s quarterbacks is capable of consistently getting them the ball.
As for the No. 1 player on this list, Williams is in the final year of his contract, so we could see his number reduced if he signs an extension. Either way, he’ll likely be much further down on next year’s top 10 list, if he’s on it at all.
Over The Cap was used in the creation of this post.
NFC Notes: Garrett, Vikings, Bears, Giants
Cowboys coach Jason Garrett has spent much of his head coaching career on the hot seat, but that changed last season as Dallas finished 12-4 and won a playoff game. But Garrett, who recently signed a five-year extension with the club, says he never considered his contract situation last season. “I can honestly say to you that I never really thought very much about that,” Garrett told Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “What I do every day is I wake up and try to do everything I can to build the kind of football team that we all can be proud of.”
Let’s check out more from the NFC:
- Charles Johnson emerged as the Vikings’ main receiving threat down the stretch last season, and Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press doesn’t think the 26-year-old pass-catcher will remain anonymous to NFL fans for much longer. After failing to earn playing time with both the Packers and the Browns, Johnson came to Minnesota via a waiver claim, and after being inserted into the starting lineup Week 10, he totaled 25 receptions for 415 yards. The Vikings’ offense will look different in 2015 given the return of Adrian Peterson and the addition of Mike Wallace, but Johnson figures to retain his role as Teddy Bridgewater‘s No. 1 option in the passing game.
- Vic Fangio is a clear improvement at defensive coordinator for the Bears, but Matt Bowen of the Chicago Tribune wonders if the club has enough pieces with which Fangio can work. Antrel Rolle, Pernell McPhee, and Eddie Goldman were solid adds through free agency/the draft, writes Bowen, but the thought of Jared Allen and Lamarr Houston as stand-up outside linebackers is worrisome. Additionally, the veteran crop of corners behind No. 1 Kyle Fuller (Tim Jennings, Alan Ball, Tracy Porter) leaves much to be desired. Per Bowen, Fangio’s schematic prowess can cover up many personnel holes, but ultimately Chicago’s distinct lack of playmaking talent on defense may be its undoing.
- A pair of Giants prospects — offensive lineman Michael Bamiro and tight end Will Tye — are aiming to become the first NFL players who hail from Stony Brook University, as Barbara Baker of Newsday details. Bamiro stuck with New York on a futures contract following the 2014 season, while Tye went undrafted in May.
East Notes: Eli, Washington, Dolphins
After a year in Ben McAdoo‘s offense, Eli Manning ditched the indecisiveness that plagued him at last June’s minicamp, writes the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz.
The 34-year-old Manning worked with baseball-based mechanics this offseason and has a more confident aura after a 2014 offseason — and some of the regular season — mired by inconsistency.
“It is lively, very lively,’’ Giants coach Tom Coughlin noted to reporters on Manning’s throwing arm. “He has worked hard at that. You know Eli is feeling good about himself when he says ‘I feel like I got good juice on it.'”
Here are some other notes from the Eastern divisions on Saturday morning.
- Planning on an extended absence from Will Beatty after the left tackle’s recent pectoral injury, the Giants may be in better shape on their interior. According to Schwartz, Big Blue has prized 2014 acquisition Geoff Schwartz back healthy after an injury-marred season and Weston Richburg at his natural center spot following a rookie slate playing guard alongside the woeful J.D. Walton. The Giants now have former first-round right tackle Justin Pugh at guard despite Beatty’s setback. At tackle, however, the team remains thin. With newly signed Ereck Flowers now on the left side with little room for a learning curve, sub-optimal swing man Marshall Newhouse is slotting at right tackle for the time being.
- Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com expects Jeron Johnson to supplant Duke Ihenacho as Washington‘s starting strong safety despite Ihenacho’s frequent work with the first team during minicamp. While anticipating the fifth-year ex-Seahawks reserve to garner his first significant role after signing a two-year, $4MM deal in March, Tandler expects Washington’s incumbent at the position, Ihenacho, to safely make the team after previously envisioning the former undrafted Ssan Jose State cog on the roster bubble.
- The Dolphins remain interested in Evan Mathis, but they haven’t made a push for the now-unretired John Moffitt, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. With solid performers at tackle and center but issues at guard, the Fins have yet to make an offer for Mathis. Although they figure to be on the front line in this rare June pursuit of an All-Pro talent.
Landon Collins, Giants Agree To Deal
The Giants have agreed to terms with second-round safety Landon Collins on his rookie contract, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). With first-rounder Ereck Flowers having signed his own deal yesterday, the team has now secured all its 2015 draft picks.
Collins, the 33rd overall pick in this year’s draft, narrowly missed being selected in the first round, meaning his contract won’t include a fifth-year option for the 2019 season. Instead, he’ll be eligible for free agency after playing out a four-year deal worth about $6.121MM. His signing bonus will be approximately $2.711MM, per Over The Cap.
Once Collins went undrafted in the first round, the Giants aggressively moved up at the start of the draft’s second day to land him. New York sent its second-, fourth-, and seventh-round picks to the Titans, moving up from No. 40 to No. 33 to secure the former Alabama safety.
Now that Collins had reached an agreement with the Giants, only the Colts, Patriots, Raiders, and Titans still have draftees to lock up — in total, six picks remain unsigned.
Extra Points: Cruz, Dez, Mathis, Texans
The latest from around the NFL:
- Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph will see his base salary drop from $8.75MM to $7MM as a part of his new extension, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle tweets. He’ll then earn base salaries of $6.5MM in 2016 and 2017. Joseph will also receive $500K in 46-man roster bonuses each year (link).
- Titans tight end Dorin Dickerson suffered a ruptured Achilles this week, and will have season-ending surgery to repair the damage sometime in the near future, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (Twitter link). Dickerson didn’t appear in a regular-season game in 2014, but has recently spent time with several teams, including the Texans, Patriots, Bills, and Lions.
- Newcomer Vince Wilfork is excited to bring his leadership skills to the Texans, as John McClain of the Houston Chronicle writes. “I want to be a guy that’s played the game for a while that they can always turn to and ask questions about anything football-wise or off the field,” said the 33-year-old, who will be playing between J.J. Watt and Jared Crick. “I’ve played with a lot of guys. I’ve played with some Hall of Famers. I’ve been coached by some great guys.”
- Lions wide receiver TJ Jones missed all of last season after undergoing shoulder surgery. Now, he’s not just trying to get back to what he did at Notre Dame – he’s looking to top it, as ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein writes. Detroit selected Jones in the sixth round of the 2014 draft.
- David Ausberry‘s one-year deal with the Lions is worth $660K with no guaranteed cash, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Ausberry signed with Detroit earlier this month.
- Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter) wouldn’t be surprised if the Bears add a veteran offensive lineman in advance of training camp.
- Tarvaris Jackson‘s one-year deal with the Seahawks will pay him a fully guaranteed $1.5MM, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports (on Twitter). The 31-year-old Jackson earned $1.25MM in 2014, which was right around the middle of the pack in terms of backup quarterbacks. Jackson attempted just one pass in 2014 (a completion), but he’s started 34 games during his nine-year career, so he would offer valuable experience in the event of a Russell Wilson injury.
- Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) attributes the delay in Evan Mathis signing to the ongoing veteran minicamps rather than a weak market. Once minicamps are over and teams have fully assessed their offensive lines, Robinson expects the market for the guard to solidify.
- Giants coach Tom Coughlin told reporters, including Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (on Twitter), that he expects that wide receiver Victor Cruz won’t have to start training camp on the PUP list. Cruz is signed through 2018 and carries an $8.2MM cap number — the second-highest figure on the team behind Eli Manning. Cruz’s season ended in October when he tore his patella tendon.
- Dez Bryant showing up for Cowboys minicamp reinforces why his threat to hold out shouldn’t be taken seriously, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) opines.
- G.J. Kinne‘s transition from quarterback to wide receiver is going quite well, Eagles coach Chip Kelly told reporters, including the staff from the team’s website (on Twitter). Kelly says that he didn’t know how well Kinne caught the ball until he tried him out at wide receiver. From this point forward, Kelly says gaining familiarity with the position will be his toughest task.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Giants Sign Ereck Flowers
The Giants announced that they have signed first-round pick Ereck Flowers. Flowers, a product of the University of Miami, was selected with the No. 9 overall pick in the draft. According to his slot, Flowers should earn $14.4MM with a healthy $8.7MM signing bonus.
Flowers negotiated his own rookie contract with the Giants, which may have contributed to the delay in signing. Had Flowers hired an agent and been charged the maximum allowable 3% fee on his $14.4MM guaranteed contract, the fee would have worked out to $432K. Instead, he decided to keep that fee and use his family for guidance. Flowers’ camp did hire an attorney to review the contract, however.
Flowers was already expected to play a big role for the Giants, but when Will Beatty tore his pectoral muscle lifting weights on May 18th, he became even more crucial to the team’s immediate success. Many expected the Giants to go hard after Iowa tackle Brandon Scherff, who is widely believed to be more NFL ready, but he was off the board by the time it was their turn to pick.
NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Amukamara, Giants
Kenrick Ellis, 27, is in the midst of his first minicamp with the Giants after spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Jets. He’s already noticing some differences in the two teams, including their quarterback situation.
“It’s a different feeling, man,’’ Ellis told Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. “I notice in practice having a franchise quarterback of Eli Manning’s caliber is a lot different in practice than when I was with the Jets. Those guys are good quarterbacks, but having a franchise, Super Bowl-winning quarterback, practice is a lot different. The feel of it is a lot different. The way it’s run is different, and it’s a beautiful thing. I really like it.’’
Here’s more from the NFC East..
- Ever since DeMarco Murray signed with the Eagles, the Cowboys‘ running back situation has become a popular topic of discussion. While many have been waiting for the Cowboys to upgrade over their current stable of backs, owner Jerry Jones says that he’s “very comfortable” with the group he has, Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News writes. If the season started tomorrow, the Cowboys would likely split carries between Joseph Randle, Darren McFadden and Lance Dunbar. Based on Jones’ comments, Machota gathers that if the Cowboys were to add a veteran back, it probably wouldn’t happen until at least late August.
- Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara is entering his walk year but he’s not overly concerned about his next deal, as Steve Serby of the New York Post writes. The 26-year-old also knows that he’s not exactly “indispensable” for the Giants since he has yet to be approached about a new contract.
- With safety Antrel Rolle out of the picture, the Giants are now left with a young and inexperienced group of defensive backs, as Tom Canavan of The Associated Press writes.