Jaguars DE Dante Fowler Arrested
Jaguars defensive end Dante Fowler was arrested in St. Petersburg on Tuesday night, as Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times writes. He is now facing misdemeanor charges of simple battery and mischief. 
According to police records obtained by Matthew Head of First Coast News (Twitter link), cops say that Fowler got out of his car and got into a verbal exchange with a man who commented on his driving. When they came face to face, the defensive end allegedly hit the man, knocked off his glasses, and stepped on them. He then proceeded to take the victim’s grocery bag and throw it in a nearby lake.
The victim was not injured and Fowler was arrested without incident. The 22-year-old is currently free after posting a small bond early Wednesday morning.
Fowler, a first-round pick out of Florida in 2015, missed his entire rookie season due to injury. When he debuted in 2016, he recorded 32 tackles and four sacks. Fowler made just one start last season, but this year he projects as a starting bookend opposite of Calais Campbell. If he misses time as a result of this incident, it will be a serious blow to the Jaguars.
Panthers Hire Marty Hurney As Interim GM
What’s old is new in Carolina. The Panthers have officially appointed Marty Hurney as their interim GM. 
“I never lost the connection with the organization,” said Hurney, who worked for the Panthers from 1998-2012 with the final ten years spent as GM. “I’ve gained a lot of perspective and have looked at things in different ways. I think I can help this team in a lot of areas. I think I’ve grown. And I feel I’m better prepared to come in this time and do a better job than I did over the 12 years I was general manager last time.”
In the wake of Dave Gettleman‘s firing, a number of highly-respected rising front office stars were floated out as potential replacements. But, because of the unusual timing, the Panthers felt the need to install someone immediately in a temporary capacity. The Panthers will have Hurney at the helm for 2017 before possibly looking into executives like Trent Kirchner of the Seahawks, Ryan Cowden of the Titans, and their own Don Gregory. When they do begin interviewing candidates, Hurney “will help the team identify its next general manager,” per the team’s press release.
Hurney, who will be leaving his post at ESPN Radio in Charlotte to take the job, knows the roster pretty intimately. He was responsible for bringing in some of the Panthers’ biggest stars, including team captains Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis, Greg Olsen, Ryan Kalil, and Charles Johnson. He’s also the man who hired head coach Ron Rivera in 2011.
His relationships with Davis and Olsen could have a major influence on their contract situations this offseason. Davis, 34, is entering the final year of his deal and has been pushing for an extension. Olsen, meanwhile, has two years to go on his deal but is hoping to get a reworked contract that will make him one of the league’s highest paid tight ends.
Panthers Likely To Name Marty Hurney Interim GM
The Panthers are set to bring back former general manager Marty Hurney to take over for the fired David Gettleman. Hurney is meeting with Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, who reports that the club will hire Hurney on an interim basis if the interview goes well. Hurney would run the Panthers through 2017, and the team would use that time to vet full-time candidates (Twitter link).
Hurney works for ESPN Radio in Charlotte, but he previously served as the Panthers’ GM from 2002-12 and oversaw three playoff teams – one of which earned a Super Bowl berth. The Panthers went just 80-85 during that span, but Hurney was nonetheless responsible for bringing in a few of their current linchpins in Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis and Greg Olsen.
In reuniting with Hurney, the Panthers would pass on reported GM candidates in their own director of college scouting, Jeff Morrow, Titans director of player personnel Ryan Cowden and Bills assistant GM Joe Schoen. However, those three (and others) could still be possibilities down the line for the Panthers, who look poised to turn to Hurney, head coach Ron Rivera and director of team administration/salary cap specialist Rob Rogers in a temporary power structure, as Albert Breer of The MMQB tweets.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Details On Steelers’ Offer To Le’Veon Bell
The Steelers were unable to sign franchise-tagged running back Le’Veon Bell to a multiyear deal by Monday’s deadline, but they did make him a competitive offer. The club’s proposal was for five years, suggests Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, and came with an average annual value of $12MM, $30MM across the first two years of the contract and $42MM over the first three seasons, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter).
After rejecting the Steelers’ pitch, Bell will play the 2017 campaign for $12.12MM, and judging by the team’s offer, he seems likely to receive the tag again next year if he turns in another quality season. By designating Bell as their franchise player in 2018, the Steelers would pay him roughly $14.5MM. If Pittsburgh was content to give Bell $14MM per annum over the first three years of the deal, it stands to reason the team would be willing to commit that type of money to him next offseason for a single campaign.
Had Bell accepted the Steelers’ offer, he’d have reset the market at the position – something he’s aiming to do. It’s unclear how much guaranteed money Pittsburgh would have handed him, but Bell’s pact clearly would have outdone the RB-leading AAV ($8MM-plus) and total value ($40.05MM) the Bills’ LeSean McCoy secured on a five-year contract in 2015. McCoy also paces all backs in guarantees ($18.25MM).
While Bell, 25, could play both this year and next under the tag, the twice-suspended star’s future thereafter looks murkier. The Steelers likely wouldn’t place the tag on him for a third straight year, and once the 2019 offseason rolls around, he should have far more tread on his tires. Thanks to both his rushing and pass-catching prowess, Bell has already accrued 1,135 touches during his four-year career at a position where players don’t tend to age well. Nevertheless, Bell is betting on himself in hopes of reeling in a deal even larger than the one Pittsburgh wanted to give him.
Witness: Ezekiel Elliott Did Not Throw Punch
Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was said to be involved in a fight over the weekend that left one man with a broken nose. However, the running back has not been arrested for his involvement as of this writing and there are varied accounts of what transpired. Michael Huffman, a bouncer from Wichita Falls who was in the bar on Sunday night, says the alleged victim was the instigator and Elliott did not do anything wrong. 
“It didn’t go down like that,” Huffman wrote in a private message to Domingo Ramirez Jr. and Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram. “Everybody is saying that, but he didn’t throw the punch … Zeke was just standing there arms folded chilling feeling the crowd. Then I seen DJ getting loud toward the vicinity of Zeke and then I see an overhand right come over the back of Zeke shoulder that landed square in DTrain’s face and he went to sleep. He didn’t even see it. Then the crowd circled and dispersed. I’m surprised a whole video hasn’t been released yet.”
Other witnesses have said that the man throwing the punch appeared to be Elliott. But, if Huffman’s account of events can be verified, then the running back will avoid punishment from the legal system and the NFL. On Monday, an NFL spokesman confirmed that the league is investigating the matter.
Kirk Cousins On Latest Round Of Talks
It’s not just about the money. Kirk Cousins says that he did not sign an extension with the Redskins in part because he wants to further evaluate the organization after its front office shakeup. 
“We felt like we needed more time,” Cousins told 106.7 The Fan.
Of course, it also didn’t help that the Redskins did not improve their offer made in the spring. The last proposal he received from the team effectively only granted him two guaranteed seasons with an average annual value that he only would have accepted one full year ago.
Cousins also confirmed that he did not present the Redskins with an offer during this round of talks. He considered doing so as the deadline approached, but ultimately he held off.
“Up until a week ago, I was praying over whether we should send them an offer,” Cousins said. “I felt peace about not making an offer and leaving it in the team’s court.”
If the lowball offer wasn’t insulting enough, then one might think that Cousins was offended by team president Bruce Allen referring to him as “Kurt” Cousins during a statement to the media on Monday afternoon. When it came to that, Cousins took the high road.
“I‘ve been called Kurt my entire life. … [It] doesn’t matter. It is what it is. It’s fine. Not a big deal.”
Cousins says his first choice is to stay with the Redskins, but we’ll find out if he really means it next offseason.
Redskins Issue Statement On Kirk Cousins
The Redskins failed to extend quarterback Kirk Cousins before the Monday afternoon deadline. Already, the public relations campaign to try and soothe irked fans is underway. Team president Bruce Allen read the following statement to reporters at Redskins park (Twitter link via Nona Princiotti of The Washington Times): 
“After discussions with Kirk face-to-face over the weekend, I want to clarify our negotiations for this year. Kirk is obviously important to our team and fans, and they deserve to know where things stand.
Our goal was to sign Kirk to a long-term contract with the final objective of having him finish his career with the Redskins.
On May 2nd, right after the draft, we made Kirk an offer that included the highest fully guaranteed amount upon signing for a quarterback in NFL history ($53MM) and guaranteed a total of $72MM for injury. The deal would have made him at least the second highest-paid player by average per year in NFL history.
But despite our repeated attempts, we have not received any offer from Kirk’s agent this year.
Kirk has made it clear that he prefers to play on a year-to-year basis. While we would have liked to work out a long-term contract before this season, we accept his decision.
We both share high hopes for this season and we are looking forward to training camp starting next week. And we remain hopeful that a long-term contract will be signed in the future.”
The Redskins want fans to know that they offered a great deal of money to Cousins before Monday’s deadline. While that is true, it does not tell the whole story. Cousins already has a $24MM guarantee for the coming season and the team’s final offer only provided him with $29MM in new guarantees, meaning that the new pact really only gave him two guaranteed years out of a presumed five.
When it comes to Cousins, it seems that the Redskins are one year behind the times. Cousins’ camp likely would have accepted this offer – or something similar – prior to the 2016 franchise tag extension deadline. After turning in another quality season, the price has gone up, but the Redskins have not moved accordingly.
The real headline here is that the Redskins claim they have not received a counter-offer from Cousins’ agent. If that is the case, then there might be no amount of money that could keep the QB in D.C. for the long run.
No Deal For Cousins, Bell, Johnson
The franchise tender extension deadline has come and gone. With no deals struck for the three players in question, we now know that Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins, Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, and Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson will be playing out the 2017 season on one-year deals. 
We’ve believed this to be the most expected outcome for a while now, though Bell was the most likely to sign of the trio. Although Bell might have liked to sign a multi-year deal before this afternoon’s deadline, all three players are still in great shape for the coming year. Cousins will make roughly $24MM on his second straight franchise tag. Johnson will make $16MM on his second time on the tender. Bell will collect a $12MM+ salary on his first ever franchise tag.
The Redskins, Steelers, and Rams can all use the franchise tag on these players next year, but the price would be uncomfortably high in the cases of Bell ($14MM) and Cousins ($34MM) and downright outlandish in the case of Johnson ($20MM). If all goes right for them in 2017, they’re all in position to get paid in 2018 and beyond, one way or another.
Deadline Approaching For Cousins, Bell, Johnson
A major deadline is fast approaching for Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins, Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, and Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson. If the three franchise-tagged players do not sign an extension with their respective clubs by 4pm ET/3pm CT, they will play out the season on a one-year tender and will not be able to reignite long-term talks until January. 
So far, there hasn’t been significant movement towards a deal for any of the three players in question, though Bell is more likely to sign a multi-year pact than the other two. Then again, after last year’s deadline brought us a surprise accord between the Jets and Muhammad Wilkerson, nothing can be ruled out.
The Redskins have slowly upped their offer to Cousins over the last year, but a major gulf still divides the two parties. Cousins’ agent is said to be seeking $24MM annually on a new deal, a number reflective of his ~$24MM tender for 2017. The Redskins, meanwhile, have only offered $20MM per season on a five-year pact. The proposal, which was made back in May, only truly guarantees the first two years for Cousins, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. When considering the gap in dollars and the possibility that Cousins would rather be somewhere else long-term, it seems likely that the QB will play out the year on his tender.
On Monday morning, we heard that there was nothing imminent between the Steelers and Bell. Still, a long-term deal makes plenty of sense for both sides. Bell’s camp is aware of the injury risk that running backs carry and they would certainly forego some upside in favor of security. The Steelers, on the other hand, do not want to chance having to cuff Bell with a one-year, $14MM repeat franchise tender next offseason. Even though there hasn’t been a lot of reported progress on a deal in recent weeks, this one feels too logical not to happen.
On the flipside, it would be a shock to see the Rams and Johnson shake hands on a deal this afternoon. Johnson believes that he could be paid like a top cornerback on the open market next spring and unless he turns in a historically spectacular season, there’s little chance that the Rams will tag him for a third straight year at $20MM. Instead, Johnson will happily play out the year for $16.742MM and worry about his future next offseason.
Panthers Fire GM Dave Gettleman
The Panthers announced that they have fired GM Dave Gettleman. The news comes as a total shock, particularly since Gettleman was left in charge to oversee the draft and the main stages of free agency before his dismissal. 
“After much thought and a long evaluation of our football operations, I have decided to relieve Dave Gettleman of his duties as general manager,” Panthers owner Jerry Richardson said. “I want to thank Dave for the role he played in our success over the past four seasons. While the timing of this decision is not ideal, a change is needed.”
Like the Chiefs, the Panthers have shocked the football world by firing their GM late in the offseason. And, also like the Chiefs, they have already allowed a prime in-house candidate to leave for another team. Earlier this year, Brandon Beane left his post in Carolina as assistant GM to take over as the Bills’ new GM. In similar fashion, the Chiefs watched Chris Ballard take the Colts’ GM gig only to fire John Dorsey months later. The Chiefs went on to fill the vacancy by promoting Brett Veach to the top job. It remains to be seen whether the Panthers will immediately go in-house or if they will also consider outside candidates.
Whoever takes over for Gettleman, whether it be on a permanent or interim basis, will have to address some high-impact matters in the coming weeks. Gettleman was gearing up for extension talks with linebacker Thomas Davis and tight end Greg Olsen has been pushing for a revised contract. On top of that, someone will have to make the tough decisions as the Panthers trim down to a 53-man roster on Sept. 2.
The Panthers went 6-10 in 2016 after making the playoffs in each of Gettleman’s first three seasons with the team. He was scheduled to return from his Cape Cod vacation this week. Now, Gettleman may want to look into extending his trip.