Giants, Coughlin Agree To Extension
11:59am: Coughlin’s extra year is at a similar salary as the last contract, which means he’ll earn ~$7MM, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
11:34am: Giants coach Tom Coughlin told reporters that he has agreed to a one-year extension with the club, according to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post (on Twitter). Coughlin’s current deal, a three-year, $20MM pact signed after Super Bowl XLVI, only took him through the upcoming 2014 season, so this contract will keep him in place through 2015, once finalized.
The 67-year-old Coughlin is the oldest coach in the NFL and he apparently doesn’t plan on retiring anytime soon. Giants co-owner John Mara recently told ESPN Radio that he intended to talk to Coughlin about a contract extension soon. “He’s going to be our coach here next year,” Mara said. “And hopefully for longer than that, but we haven’t sat down to even talk about that yet.”
Coughlin, of course, helped lead the Giants to Super Bowl victories for the 2007 and 2011 seasons. This past year, of course, wasn’t as fruitful as those seasons. The Giants started the season 0-6 and even though they managed to cobble together some victories after that point, they were too far in the hole and finished with a 7-9 mark. For his career, Coughlin owns a collective 158-130 record. With the Giants, Coughlin is 90-70.
NFC East Notes: Orakpo, Eagles, Cowboys
As we look forward to another busy day at the combine in Indianapolis, let’s check in on a few Friday morning updates on all four NFC East squads:
- Redskins general manager Bruce Allen confirmed that the club will meet with the agent for free agent linebacker Brian Orakpo this weekend, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post.
- Although the Eagles will have to make offseason decisions on about a third of the players on their roster, GM Howie Roseman was fairly noncommittal when asked about those decisions, as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer details.
- In the last couple offseasons, the Eagles have made modest free agent expenditures, but the team is still willing to spend big on the right player, says Roseman (link via Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer). “I think unique situations call for unique action,” Roseman said. “If there is a unique player in free agency that is hard to find other than top of draft and fits all the criteria that we outlined, some publicly and some privately, you have to look at it. We still view ourselves as aggressive and risk-takers. Sometimes you have to take risks to get better.”
- With Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper facing free agency and Jason Avant‘s contract making him a potential cap casualty, Roseman sounds like he’s “willing to shuffle the [Eagles‘] deck at wide receiver,” writes Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com.
- The odds are very slim that the Cowboys will draft quarterback Johnny Manziel, but they’ll meet with him at the combine today, writes Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
- The Giants are well-positioned to get Eli Manning some help on offense in this year’s draft, according to Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News, who suggests a few offensive linemen and pass-catchers the team may target at the combine.
- Earlier this morning, we heard that the Redskins have no plans to trade Kirk Cousins.
NFC Notes: Nelson, Tuck, Fitzgerald, Mangini
We’ve already published posts on the Vikings, Bears, and Cowboys so far today, but even after rounding up a few team-centric updates, there are still several more notes to pass along on NFC teams. Here’s the latest:
- While there will be plenty of items on the Packers‘ to-do list this offseason, locking up wide receiver Jordy Nelson to an extension is expected to be near the top of that list, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
- There are plenty of notable names among this year’s free agent class of defensive ends, but Justin Tuck’s agent tells Jordan Raanan of NJ.com that he believes his client is the best all-around player of the bunch. “Justin is by far the most complete d-end in the class,” agent Doug Hendrickson said of the longtime Giant. “He can play the 4-3, he can play the 3-4. He obviously had an incredible season last year with every stat he had with the tackles, tackles for loss, the hurries and the sacks. They were up there with the upper-echelon defensive linemen.”
- Asked about a report last month that suggested the Patriots were mulling a Larry Fitzgerald trade last year, Cardinals GM Steve Keim said of the rumor, “I was looking for someone to fire because [the Patriots] never called me” (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). That initial report suggested that the Pats’ talks didn’t get very far, so it sounds like they were just internal discussions.
- Former defensive specialist Eric Mangini will be the 49ers’ tight ends coach in 2014, the team confirmed today. Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee was the first to report Mangini’s new role.
- Cornerback figures to be one of the most important positions for the Eagles to address this offseason, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer, exploring some potential options for the team.
- Offensive lineman Gabe Carimi, who was released by the Buccaneers earlier this month, admitted in an appearance on Sirius XM NFL Radio that he was surprised by the move. However, the early cut gave Carimi to test the market ahead of the free agent period. While he had planned to work out for the Bengals and some other teams, the ex-Bear landed with the Falcons this week (Twitter links via Alex Marvez of FOX Sports).
Hakeem Nicks Joins CAA, Roc Nation
Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports has added another noteworthy NFL client to its roster. Pending free agent Hakeem Nicks announced today via Twitter that he is “proud to become a part of the Roc Nation Sports family!” A league source tells Pro Football Talk (Twitter link) that while Roc Nation will be representing Nicks for marketing purposes, CAA will negotiate his next contract.
Although Nicks’ new partnership with CAA and Roc Nation doesn’t necessarily make the Giants any more likely to retain the free agent receiver, it’s worth noting that longtime teammate Victor Cruz has a similar arrangement with CAA and Roc Nation. Cruz has publicly admitted that he’s been lobbying for Nicks to remain in New York.
While Nicks is coming off a down year in 2013, having failed to score a single TD on 56 catches, while accumulating 896 yards, he has plenty of upside and is still just 26 years old. As our Rob DiRe wrote in a recent look at Nicks’ free agent stock, the former first-round pick could turn out to be a No. 1 caliber receiver available for the price of a No. 2. However, with new representation on board, Nicks is unlikely to be a bargain buy.
East Notes: Allen, Redskins, Eagles, Dolphins
Five of the eight teams are covered in this morning’s look at the AFC and NFC East divisions, so let’s dive right in and check out Tuesday’s East links….
- Jets safety Antonio Allen has switched agents and will now be represented by Joel Segal of Lagardere Unlimited, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. The 2012 seventh-round pick remains under contract through 2015.
- In a piece for the Washington Post, Mike Jones explores whether or not the Redskins ought to re-sign outside linebackers Rob Jackson and Darryl Tapp. In Jones’ view, it could make sense for the club to bring back Jackson, but re-signing Tapp won’t be a priority.
- The Eagles need to add depth at running back behind LeSean McCoy, writes ESPN.com’s Phil Sheridan. While Sheridan tosses out the names of a few free agent options, he expects the team to draft a running back rather than sign one.
- Offensive tackle will be a major area of focus for the Dolphins this offseason, and Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel suggests there are multiple ways the team could address the position.
- If he were running the Giants, Mike Tanier of Sports on Earth would extend Eli Manning‘s contract and roll the dice on bringing in potentially high-reward offensive playmakers.
NFC East Notes: Joseph, Austin, Maclin
Giants’ defensive tackle Linval Joseph took to Twitter on Friday to express his feelings on his impending free agency, writes Dan Benton of SportsMedia101.com. “I want to be back with the Giants next year,” said Joseph. “This where it all started; just want to take care of my family and put on that blue every Sunday.” This announcement was in response to the Redskins saying they would pursue him one free agency begins on March 11. While he is looking to command a very large contract, he would like to get that deal agreed upon with the Giants before he hits free agency. Here are some other rumors from across the NFC East:
- The Giants‘ biggest need in free agency needs to be the offensive line, writes Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. The team is likely to cut Chris Snee and David Bass, and could let Kevin Boothe walk in free agency. They will also need to replace David Diehl, who retired this offseason, and despite not being the stalwart left tackle he once was, still provided value in his versatility. Graziano believes with all of these changes, the team will not be able to wait until the draft to retool, and therefore must be active in free agency to replace these players.
- Miles Austin and Kyle Orton are likely cap casualties for the Cowboys, writes Todd Archer of ESPN.com. While the team may be able to restructure Orton’s deal if he still wants to remain with the team, Archer believes the writing has been on the wall for a while regarding Austin’s departure.
- While earlier today our own Matt Feminis wrote about Jeremy Maclin‘s intentions to return to the Eagles in 2014, Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com was less than convinced. He writes that Riley Cooper is much more likely to return to the team as a cheaper option, and that the team will look to draft a receiver as well. Sheridan sees Maclin securing a long-term deal elsewhere, possibly with Chiefs or Jets, where he has more familiarity with the coaching staff.
- With the likely retirement of London Fletcher and Perry Riley‘s free agency, the Redskins need to look outside the organization to replace their inside linebackers, writes Tarik El Bashir of CSNWashington.com. Bashir lists Karlos Dansby as the best available at the position, but believes the younger Donald Butler would be the best fit. Other notable options could be Brandon Spikes and Jon Beason, among others.
East Notes: Nicks, Cowboys, Patriots, Jets
Here are a few of the latest links of note from out of the NFC’s and AFC’s East divisions:
- Victor Cruz has lobbied for fellow Giants receiver and pending free agent Hakeem Nicks to re-sign with New York, according to Conor Orr of the Star-Ledger. “Selfishly, I would love for him to stay,” Cruz said, confirming that he’s talked to Nicks about it.
- As if the Cowboys didn’t already have enough 2014 cap commitments, running back DeMarco Murray will have a slightly higher cap number than expected, as Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com details. Murray triggered performance escalators that will bump his base salary from about $755K to nearly $1.4MM.
- In a photo gallery, the Dallas Morning News suggests 10 free agent quarterbacks the Cowboys might consider as a No. 3 option behind Tony Romo or Kyle Orton.
- Mike Reiss of ESPN.com attempts to gauge the free agent value of Aqib Talib around the NFL by compiling a few links to see where Talib ranks on various lists of top free agents. As Reiss writes, the veteran cornerback will be among the Patriots‘ top priorities this offseason.
- In a separate blog entry, Reiss weighs in on a few other Patriots stories, indicating that he doesn’t think Josh McDaniels was as interested in the Browns’ head coaching job as an earlier report suggests, and that he believe the Pats will again have interest in free agent receiver Emmanuel Sanders this offseason.
- With the right side of the Jets‘ offensive line poised to hit free agency, it would behoove the team to re-sign both guard Willie Colon and tackle Austin Howard, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Cimini expects the club to make a “strong push” to re-sign Howard, while perhaps taking a wait-and-see approach with Colon and the right guard position.
NFL Execs Weigh In On Michael Sam
As the world reacted to the news that the NFL might soon see its first openly gay current player last night, so did anonymous NFL club officials. The feedback from decision makers around the league was not nearly as positive as the general public’s.
Sports Illustrated’s Pete Thamel and Thayer Evans polled eight NFL executives and coaches, and the overwhelming consensus was that the announcement would hurt Michael Sam‘s draft stock. The redshirt senior from the University of Missouri is predicted as a mid- to late-round draft pick, but one NFL player personnel assistant told SI he doesn’t feel football is ready for an openly gay player.
“In the coming decade or two, it’s going to be acceptable, but at this point in time it’s still a man’s-man game,” the assistant said. “To call somebody a [gay slur] is still so commonplace. It’d chemically imbalance an NFL locker room and meeting room.”
Three general managers and one scout spoke on the condition of anonymity to The MMQB’s Peter King, with one GM saying his team had discussed the issue at draft meetings in recent days.
“First of all, we don’t think he’s a very good player,” the GM told King. “The reality is he’s an overrated football player in our estimation. Second: He’s going to have expectations about where he should be drafted, and I think he’ll be disappointed. He’s not going to get drafted where he thinks he should. The question you will ask yourself, knowing your team, is, ‘How will drafting him affect your locker room?’ And I am sorry to say where we are at this point in time, I think it’s going to affect most locker rooms. A lot of guys will be uncomfortable. Ten years from now, fine. But today, I think being openly gay is a factor in the locker room.”
The results were more positive today, as a legion of owners and coaches – each of whom were willing to put their names with their words – voiced their support for a potential gay player as a member of their team. Giants co-owners Steve Tisch and John Mara backed Sam loudly, in statements to TMZ and Conor Orr of The Star-Ledger respectively. Meanwhile, one team personnel executive told NFL.com columnist Judy Battista that he could see owners pushing their coaches and personnel staff “it’s OK” to draft Sam.
Other notable league personnel to come out in support of Sam include Bears GM Phil Emery, Packers coach Mike McCarthy and Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Kraft’s coach, Bill Belichick, released a statement via the team’s website, expressing that he and the Pats pursue players “who can best contribute to our team and organization, regardless of the matters being discussed today.” The league also released its own statement in support of Sam and his efforts.
Stepping away from the issue of Sam’s personal life, NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said he has a “pretty good feel” for the undersized Southeastern Conference defensive player of the year, projecting him as a third- to fifth-round pick.
“He’s an explosive kid who’s much better going forward than he is going backward,” Mayock told Philly.com’s Paul Domowitch. “His size would dictate he’s got to be a linebacker, but I don’t think his physical skill-set dictates that, and therein lies the rub.”
With the NFL scouting combine less than two weeks away, each team will have its opportunity to interview Sam with this historic news out in the public. Sam’s performance at the combine could go a long way in defining his draft value, which was murky even before his announcement — given his size and speed, there are questions about whether he’ll have a true NFL position. A strong showing at the combine, along with impressive interviews with NFL teams, should solidify his place as a mid-round pick, particularly given the outcry of public support from various owners and executives today.
We’ll have to wait until May to know definitively what sort of effect Sunday’s announcement will have on Sam’s draft stock. But if the Missouri alum has shown anything to us this far, it’s that he’s mature beyond his 24 years and ready for whatever life has to throw at him next.
Giants Void Contracts Of Myers, Webster
On Friday, tight end Brandon Myers and cornerback Corey Webster saw their deals automatically voided, writes Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News. The two deals were terminated at 3pm CT earlier today.
Myers inked a four-year deal with the Giants last season with three voidable years while Webster had one voidable year remaining on his contract. Myers, 29 in September, made a name for himself in 2012 with the Raiders by hauling in 79 receptions for 806 yards, including a brilliant 14 catch, 130 yard, and one touchdown showing against the Bears late in the season. However, he didn’t do much for Big Blue, recording 47 catches for 522 yards and a pivotal missed ball against those same Bears that dropped the Giants to 0-6.
Webster, 32 in March, appeared in just four games thanks to injuries and would have been largely out-of-action anyway after being leapfrogged by Trumaine McBride on the depth chart. Webster was once a top player at his position but he’s a couple of years away from when he was a feared CB. Ultimately, the Giants had little reason to retain either player.
Cutting ties with Myers and Webster helps to add to the Giants’ projected $13.7MM in cap space. However, the Giants have a lot of work to do after an embarrassing 2013. The Giants have to rebuild offensive line, find playmakers to possibly supplant Hakeem Nicks and David Wilson, and bolster one of the league’s weakest defenses.
NFC East Rumors: Finley, Eagles, Redskins
Yesterday, we passed along word that Antrel Rolle has been recruiting Jermichael Finley in an effort to get the free-agent-to-be to join the Giants. However, Finley remains a Packer for at least a few more weeks, and agent Blake Baratz tells Paul Schwartz of the New York Post that working out a new deal to stay in Green Bay would be his client’s first priority.
“Right now he is a Packer and I know he would love to play his entire career there,” Baratz said. “For the next five weeks or so they have his exclusive negotiation rights. If it doesn’t work out in Green Bay for whatever reason then I believe there are a number of teams that could use a talent like Jermichael.”
While the Giants and other teams keep an eye on Finley’s recovery and wait to see if they’ll have a chance to sign him, let’s check in on a few more items from out of the NFC East:
- Roosevelt Barnes, the agent for prospective free agent OLB Mike Neal, tells Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com that he could see the Eagles having interest in his client if Neal doesn’t re-up with the Packers in the next month. “Philly would be a good spot for him,” Barnes said. “But we still have a little while to go before free agency.”
- The Redskins, who have opened contract negotiations with defensive lineman Chris Baker, will likely to seek to lock him up to a deal to the three-year, $3.3MM pact Kedric Golston signed a year ago, says Mike Jones of the Washington Post.
- While the Redskins have plenty of projected cap space for 2014 at this point, Keith McMillan of the Washington Post breaks down the numbers and estimates that the club will have to use a good chunk of that room to retain its own free agents.