No Contract Talks Yet For Manning, Giants
Eli Manning is heading into the final year of his contract with the Giants, and so far there have been no talks between him and the team about extending that deal beyond the 2015 season, as he tells Gary Myers of the New York Daily News.
“No discussions yet,” Manning said. “I don’t know if there will be or not.”
While the Giants certainly haven’t expressed publicly that they intend to wait until 2016 to try to work out an extension with their quarterback, Manning’s comments suggest that it’s possible he’ll head into the season without an agreement in place. Though for his part, the two-time Super Bowl MVP doesn’t seem too concerned about it.
“I guess I’m just happy that I’m still playing and still got a job to do,” Manning said. “I guess I’ve always just thought, they gave me a contract for six years, this is the sixth year. I don’t have any complaints. I’m going to do my job, no matter what. My focus is on playing good football, winning games, and whatever happens after that happens after that.”
As one of three notable veteran quarterbacks from the 2004 draft class who headed into this offseason without a long-term extension in place, Manning likely took notice when Ben Roethlisberger re-upped with the Steelers for a five-year, $99MM contract back in March. The other top QB from that ’04 first round, Philip Rivers, was the subject of numerous trade rumors earlier this spring, but it doesn’t seem as if the Giants have considered any sort of trade involving Manning — the team simply appears willing to let the situation play out in the coming weeks, or months, without rushing into a new deal.
Manning, 34, is coming off one of his best statistical seasons, having posted a 63.1% completion percentage, 4,410 passing yards, and 30 touchdowns in 2014. For now, he’s set to earn a $17MM base salary for the coming year.
Sunday Roundup: Long, Wilkerson, Irvin
Let’s have a look at some links from around the league on this Sunday afternoon:
- After Will Beatty‘s torn pectoral muscle threw the Giants‘ offensive line into a state of confusion, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com has received a number of questions from Giants fans curious about the status of free agent tackle Jake Long. Raanan writes that even though Long tore his ACL two years in a row, there will be a starting job for him somewhere this season if he is healthy. The Giants are still in the mix, but Long appears content to let the market for his services play out.
- The Patriots have lost a number of big names this offseason, but Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com says tight end is one area where the team may have gotten stronger. Newly-acquired Scott Chandler will team with Rob Gronkowski to create a formidable pair of towers at the position, and Reiss predicts New England will deploy a number of two-tight end sets in 2015, just as they did in 2011 with Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.
- Cameron Jordan recently signed a new five-year, $55MM deal with the Saints, and despite the similarities between Jordan and Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com believes Wilkerson will be aiming even higher. Jordan got $33.5MM in total guarantees, and Cimini thinks Wilkerson is seeking at least $40MM in guaranteed money.
- Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com writes that Washington defensive coordinator Joe Barry does not plan on moving any of his cornerbacks to safety in an effort to bolster the team’s long-floundering safety corps.
- Zach Miller has not played a regular season game since 2011, thanks to a bevy of injuries that have derailed his career. But for the second straight season, Miller is performing well in the Bears‘ offseason workouts, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. And if Miller can remain healthy, he could become a valuable weapon for Jay Cutler and take some pressure off Alshon Jeffery, rookie Kevin White, and first-string tight end Martellus Bennett.
- When asked if his client had requested a trade, the agent for new Browns and former 49ers punter Andy Lee did not answer directly, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter). The agent simply said it was an amicable parting that worked well for all involved.
- Despite recent comments that created a minor controversy in Seattle, Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin said yesterday, “I would love to be in Seattle. That was the team that gave me a chance when nobody else did.” But as Manouk Akopyan of NFL.com writes, given the pending extensions that the Seahawks will undoubtedly hand out to Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson, and considering the amount of money Seattle has already invested in retaining players like Marshawn Lynch and Richard Sherman, Irvin will likely find greener pastures elsewhere.
- The Jaguars plan to frequently utilize two- and three-tight end looks this season under new offensive coordinator Greg Olson, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. That scheme will offer plenty of playing time for Marcedes Lewis and Clay Harbor, who now find themselves behind Julius Thomas on the team’s depth chart.
- In the same piece, O’Halloran writes that even though Tyler Shatley earned a place on the Jaguars‘ roster as an undrafted rookie guard last season, his task will be even more difficult this year. The team has shifted him over to center, which Shatley has never played, and Jacksonville appears committed to Stefen Wisniewski or Luke Bowanko at the position.
NFC Links: Vereen, Foles, Cowboys, Vikings
It was presumably a tough decision for running back Shane Vereen to leave the Super Bowl-winning Patriots to join the Giants. The tough choice may have ultimately come down to the G-Men wanting the running back more, and the various recruiting calls, including one from Odell Beckham Jr., clearly left an impression with the 26-year-old.
“I asked around [about the Giants] with guys who played here, a couple guys in California I work out with, and previously I had met Odell [Beckham, Jr.],” Vereen said (via MMQB’s Jenny Vrentas). “So I hit them up, trying to talk to them and learn things I didn’t know. They filled me in.
“[Beckham Jr.] said it was a young team with a lot of talent. He loves it here, and he was excited for this upcoming season. That was really all I needed to hear. I love when guys are excited to be somewhere. That makes me want to be there and excited for the growth.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFC…
- Nick Foles may have wore out his welcome with the Eagles, but the Rams are excited to have him. The receivers are especially thrilled, writes Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. Two top targets, Kenny Britt and Jared Cook, both expressed their enthusiasm for the new quarterback’s abilities.
- The running back position for the Cowboys is in flux, and Lance Dunbar will be fighting Ryan Williams for a spot on the roster again this season, according to Bob Sturm of DallasNews.com. Dunbar’s a limited player, but his abilities on special teams should give him the edge on Williams in terms of a roster spot.
- New Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer walked into a tough situation amid the ongoing feud between Adrian Peterson and the organization. However, has has handled it quite brilliantly, without looking like a puppet for management or sucking up to Peterson, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com. “A lot of it was … It was tough for Adrian. It was tough for the Vikings, as well. So trying to be fair to both sides was important,” Zimmer said. “I always want to support my players, and still do the best thing for our football team.”
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
NFC Notes: Flowers, Chester, Crowder
When a player enters the NFL out of college, an agent can be invaluable when it comes to preparing that prospect for the combine, negotiating marketing or endorsement agreements, and providing a credit line of income before the player earns his actual NFL income. However, as Andrew Brandt of TheMMQB.com notes, rookie contracts have become so predetermined that an agent isn’t all that necessary for negotiations.
In fact, one first-rounder, offensive lineman Ereck Flowers, negotiated his own rookie contract with the Giants, writes Brandt. 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.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Before veteran guard Chris Chester signed a one-year contract with the Falcons, he received a two-year offer from the Eagles, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). As Caplan notes, Chester will have a better chance of starting in Atlanta, with one or two interior line positions up for grabs.
- After a post appeared on Jamison Crowder‘s Instagram account this week accusing him of domestic violence, Washington and the NFL are looking into the situation. However, as John Keim of NFL.com details, Crowder’s agent, Tory Dandy, says the allegation is false: “His account was hacked. Jamison hasn’t hit anybody.”
- Cam Newton got a $22.5MM signing bonus on his new contract extension with the Panthers, but he won’t get that entire amount up front. Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets that $7MM of the bonus money is deferred until April 1, 2016, while the other $15.5MM is payable within a week of Newton’s signing.
Minor Moves: Friday
Here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
- The Browns have cut outside linebacker Keith Pough, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Pough had been cut with an injured designation last month, so today’s move removes him from the roster entirely.
- Having signed him to their roster in April, the Giants have waived/injured linebacker Ryan Jones less than two months later, per Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (Twitter link).
- After being waived with an injury designation by the Raiders yesterday, linebacker Jacoby Hale has reverted to the team’s IR list, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Earlier updates:
- Offensive lineman Jon Halapio, drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round in 2014, has signed with the Cardinals, per Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link). To make room for the guard, the Cards parted ways with another offensive lineman, tackle Tavon Rooks.
- As expected, sixth-round wide receiver Bud Sasser, who wasn’t cleared physically due to a heart condition, went unclaimed on waivers and has been placed on the Rams‘ non-football illness list, tweets Howard Balzer of TheSportsXchange. For what it’s worth, Sasser’s agent, Scott Thiel, tells David Morrison of the Columbia Daily Tribune that doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota said the young wideout is “at little to no risk,” and should be able to play football. For now though, he’ll remain on St. Louis’ NFI list.
- The Cowboys have waived former Fresno State linebacker Kyle Knox, just a few days after signing him, tweets Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. According to Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter link), the club will add another linebacker to its roster next week.
- The Dolphins have waived linebacker Jake Knott, the team announced today (via Twitter). The 24-year-old, who played his college ball at Iowa State, has had stints with the Eagles and Dolphins over the last couple seasons.
East Notes: Bradford, Wilkerson, Giants
Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur held the same position in St. Louis during Sam Bradford‘s rookie season with the Rams, when the No. 1 pick won Offensive Rookie of the Year and nearly led the team to the playoffs. So, as Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes, head coach Chip Kelly turned to Shurmur for input and information on Bradford before Philadelphia acquired him in March. While Shurmur’s endorsement didn’t directly lead to the trade, the Eagles OC is optimistic about what Bradford can do with the club.
“I certainly have a very strong, good opinion of what he can accomplish,” Shurmur said. “Had he been able to stay healthy, he wouldn’t have been available for us. When the deal was getting made, I had my fingers crossed in the background that it was going to get done.”
As we wait to see how the Shurmur/Bradford reunion plays out, let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL’s two East divisions….
- Jets head coach Todd Bowles said yesterday that he wasn’t sure whether or not Muhammad Wilkerson would report to the Jets’ mandatory minicamp this month, but a person familiar with the defensive lineman’s thinking tells Steve Serby and Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post that Wilkerson will be in attendance. Wilkerson has been absent from the club’s offseason activities so far, as he seeks a new contract.
- The Giants continue to keep an eye out for potential offensive line help, general manager Jerry Reese tells Dom Cosentino of NJ Advance Media. With Will Beatty out for the season, the team could use some veteran depth. “Obviously, everybody has around 90 men on their roster right now, so there’ll be some cuts,” Reese said. “There will be some chances to add some offensive linemen.”
- Bills coach Rex Ryan sounds impressed with third-round guard John Miller so far, as Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News writes. “When we took him, we thought he’d be our starter and we’ll see,” Ryan said. “But I feel pretty confident that he’s going to be a major contributor for us.”
Zach Links contributed to this post.
East Notes: Welker, Eagles, Boykin, JPP
As Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets, free agent wideout Wes Welker told Toucher and Rich of 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston that he wants to continue his playing career, and wouldn’t be opposed to rejoining the Patriots.
Examining potential fits for Welker, Field Yates of ESPN.com (Insider-only link) agrees that perhaps New England could be a match, though he gets the sense that it’s unlikely to happen. Yates also identifies the Ravens and Texans as potential landing spots for the veteran receiver.
Let’s round up a few more items from around the NFL’s two East divisions….
- Two Eagles players who were the subject of trade rumors in Philadelphia this offseason addressed those rumors recently. Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer has the quotes from defensive lineman Fletcher Cox, while Mark Eckel of NJ.com passes along linebacker Mychal Kendricks‘ thoughts on the matter. Kendricks said he expects to still be on Philadelphia’s roster by the time the season gets underway, but admitted there haven’t been any extension talks with the team.
- Eagles cornerback Brandon Boykin is expecting to continue to play in the slot this season rather than getting a chance to start on the outside, and says that story is “getting real old,” writes McLane in a separate Inquirer piece. As Zach Berman of the Inquirer tweets, Boykin says if he plays well in his contract year, he expects he’ll get the chance to play a bigger role when free agency hits.
- Cameron Jordan and Jason Pierre-Paul aren’t entirely comparable, but Jordan’s new five-year, $55MM contract (worth up to $60MM) could have an impact on JPP’s negotiations with the Giants, writes Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
Poll: Will JPP Sign Long-Term Extension?
A year ago, the only franchise-tagged player who remained unsigned at this point in the offseason was Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, who was in the midst of arguing that he should get a wide receiver’s salary rather than a tight end’s. Graham lost that battle and ultimately signed a long-term contract with the Saints just before the annual July 15 deadline.
This time around, four franchised players are still unsigned, and earlier this week, when I asked whether Justin Houston and Dez Bryant would sign multiyear deals with their respective teams by July 15, the majority of you voted that it won’t happen.
Today, we’ll shift our attention to a third franchised player, Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. Out of the four players who have yet to sign their tender, I would have expected JPP to be the most likely to have done so by now. After all, his one-year salary ($14.813MM) would be the highest of the bunch, and he’s arguably coming off the least productive season of the group.
That’s not to say Pierre-Paul didn’t have a strong 2014 campaign — he finished with 12.5 sacks and three forced fumbles, and was the league’s seventh-best 4-3 defensive end according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). Still, nine of those sacks came in the season’s last five games, and JPP wasn’t quite the destructive defensive force that a player like Houston was.
In my view, JPP’s high franchise salary, along with his modest career production, makes him the franchise-tagged player most likely to reach an accord with his team and avoid playing the season on a one-year deal. There’s been no sense of animosity between the two sides, and I doubt Pierre-Paul’s contract demands will be quite as significant as what some of the other franchised players may request. Conversely, the Giants may be more open to working out a multiyear contract than some other teams would be, since they’re already budgeting nearly $15MM for JPP in 2015.
What do you think? Do you agree that Pierre-Paul is more likely to sign a long-term deal by July 15, or do you think he – or the team – will drive a hard bargain, ultimately leading to JPP playing out his one-year tender?
Will Jason Pierre-Paul sign a long-term extension by July 15?
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No 58% (184)
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Yes 42% (132)
Total votes: 316
Giants Host Jake Long On Visit
Free agent tackle Jake Long visited the Giants on Thursday, according to sources that spoke with Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Long could be a consideration for the Giants in the wake of Will Beatty‘s injury.
Long, 30, saw time in just seven games for the Rams last season thanks to a torn ACL. The former No. 1 overall pick had been in St. Louis for the past two seasons after spending the first five years of his career with the Dolphins. There was some talk that Long could play on the right side with 2014 No. 2 overall pick Greg Robinson taking his place on the left, but that never came to fruition.
Long has torn his ACL in each of the prior two seasons, playing in just 22 games during that timeframe. Last season, Pro Football Focus as (subscription required) ranked him as just the No. 36 tackle out of 84 qualified players. In 2013, however, Long graded out as the seventh-best tackle in the league with a strong 22.5 overall score, based on PFF’s advanced metrics.
NFC East Notes: Moss, Pierre-Paul, Cowboys
Darren McFadden‘s new Cowboys teammates are bringing out the best in him, Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News writes. “Once you’ve been in a place so long like Oakland you get set in your ways,” the running back said. “Coming out here and just being around guys who are working so hard, it just brings out the best in you and that’s something I really look forward to.”
Dallas boasted the league’s second-best rushing offense in 2014, averaging 147.1 yards per game with star DeMarco Murray in the backfield. Now, it’ll be up to Dallas’ new group of running backs to try and replicate that production. Here’s more from the NFC East..
- Santana Moss says that he still wants to play in the NFL, but he might have to settle for an off-field role. As it turns out, Washington owner Daniel Snyder has already spoken with the veteran about a potential job, Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post writes. “I went up there and met with Dan a little before the draft, and we just talked basically about life, football, everything,” Moss told 106.7 The Fan’s Chad Dukes. “Dan has always been special to me from Day One when I became a Redskin, and he knows how much I love him and I appreciate him. So we sat down and talked for hours, and he just told me, ‘I know that you want to play so I’m not sure how things are gonna go, but if you’re not a ‘Skin, whenever you’re done, I want you back here to retire and everything. And when you’re done with that, if you want to do something with the team, give me a holler.’”
- Giants coach Tom Coughlin told reporters, including Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (on Twitter), that he expects Jason Pierre-Paul will be at the mandatory minicamp in mid-June. However, he also knows that the star defensive end might not show.
- Cowboys exec Will McClay has been given a new title for the third time in three years, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes. McClay is now the team’s senior director of college and pro scouting after being given the assistant director of player personnel title in 2014. The position is roughly the same as McClay will run the personnel department as he did last year.
- The Giants got some good news on Robert Ayers, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Tests revealed no major damage to the defensive end’s knee or ankle. The defensive end was carted off the practice field earlier today.
- The injury to left tackle Will Beatty forced the Giants to remake an offensive line that had received a makeover just a few months ago, Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News writes. Beatty tore a pectoral muscle while in the weight room and is expected to be out until November.